Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate potential applications of milled secondary carbon fibres as a primary filler in conductive polymer composites. The examined composites were based on epoxy resin, milled secondary carbon fibres and selected carbon nanoadditive used as a secondary conductive filler. Three kinds of nanopowders were tested: multiwalled carbon nanotubes, graphene nanoplatelets and graphitized carbon black. In the first stage of the experiment, composites with different percentages of carbon fibres were examined in order to determine the electrical conductivity and percolation threshold. Subsequently, the most conductive composition (70% of carbon fibres, σ = 9.05 S cm−1) was modified by adding nanofillers. The addition of carbon nanotubes caused more than twofold increase in in-plane conductivity to 20.18 S cm−1. The composites with graphene nanoplatelets showed deterioration of properties due to strongly increased viscosity of a binder with graphene. Small loadings of graphitized carbon black had a minor positive impact on the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of composites.
Highlights
In recent years, conductive polymer composites (CPC) have been subjected to extensive research
Most of the studies resulted in numerous commercial applications of CPC, e.g., as bipolar plates for polymer membrane fuel cells, organic solar cells, conductive adhesives and paints, pressure and strain sensors, actuators, biomaterials, etc. [1,2,3,4,5]
Few works have been focused on investigating the electrical properties of composites based on high contents of secondary carbon fibres
Summary
Conductive polymer composites (CPC) have been subjected to extensive research. Apart from the development of methods of economical recycling of carbon fibres from polymer composites, they are looking for areas of their reuse with maintaining their maximum properties. Their usage as a phase which improving electrical properties in conductive composites seems to be intentional. Raman studies conducted by Jiang and Pickering show the increase in both the overall carbon percentage and the disorder of the structure during the CF recycling Such a phenomenon should lead to the decrease in fibres conductivity [20]
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