Dielectric Relaxation Behavior of Exfoliated Graphite Nanoplatelet-Filled EPDM Vulcanizates

Abstract

The present study investigates the dielectric relaxation and mechanical behavior of exfoliated graphite nanoplatelet (XgnP)-filled ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM) vulcanizates with variation in frequency, temperature and xGnP loading. The samples were prepared by a solution–cast method using toluene as the solvent followed by compression molding. The enhanced permittivity and ac conductivity which sharply changes above 20 wt.% of xGnP loading shows the conducting behavior of the composites. The real parts of the impedance for the vulcanizates were continuously decreased up to 40 wt.% whereas the complex part shows an increasing tendency at the same loading expressing the increase in the conductivity of the vulcanizates. The percolation threshold of the xGnP-loaded EPDM vulcanizates was at 25 wt.% of xGnP loading. A more prominent effect of temperature on dielectric loss tangent is observed at 85°C, and 100°C. The ac conductivity increases with the rise in temperature. The Nyquist plots of xGnP-reinforced EPDM show the small intercepts on the Z′ axis at 85°C, and 100°C for the 40 wt.% loading. The experimental complex impedance plots were in good agreement with the model-fitted plots. The tensile strength of 15 wt.% xGnP-filled vulcanizate increases up to 12 times more than the unfilled EPDM whereas the elongation at break (%) increases up to 700% at the same loading of xGnP. Young’s modulus has been doubled and quadrupled for the vulcanizates with 20 and 40 wt.% of xGnPs, respectively, compared to the pure EPDM samples. The results indicate that the xGnP–EPDM conductive composite can find applications in the area of antistatic material, electrostatic discharge gaskets, etc.