Effect of annealing at room temperature on the surface resistivity of elastomer/multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites

Abstract

In this study, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) were melt‐mixed with multi walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), respectively. The change in the surface resistivity of the nanocomposites during annealing at room temperature was examined. The surface resistivity of TPU/MWCNT nanocomposites with 3 and 5 phr MWCNT and uncrosslinked EPDM/MWCNT nanocomposites with 4 and 6 phr MWCNT significantly increases with increasing annealing time at room temperature. To delay the increase of surface resistivity during annealing at room temperature, silica was added to the TPU/MWCNT and EPDM/MWCNT nanocomposites. The rate of increase in the surface resistivity during annealing at room temperature was much slower with addition of silica to the nanocomposites. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:E525–E530, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers