Effect of MWCNTs Dispersion and Loading on the Rheological and Electrical Properties of MWCNTs/Silicone Composite

Mingkang Tao,Xiaoyun Liu,Tongxin Wang,Feng Chen,Shaoliang Lin,Qixin Zhuang,Minjie Gong,M Jawaid,El-R Kenawy

doi:10.1051/matecconf/20166706072

Abstract

The dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in silicone was significantly affected by the method of mixing. In this study, rheology showed that there was an optimal mixing time to get the MWCNTs disperse well and high loading of MWCNTs made the suspension flow difficult. The stability of MWCNTs/silicone suspension was analyzed to estimate the degree of re-aggregation during the curing process. The dispersion and loading of MWCNTs affected significantly electrical properties of MWCNTs/silicone elastomer. With the extension of time stirred, the dielectric constant of 1 wt% MWCNTs/silicone elastomer increased from 17 to 216 while most high dielectric constant composites were only decades in number. The dielectric loss increased exponentially with the loading of MWCNTs, which made the high dielectric constant meaningless.

Highlights

In 1991, Iijima discovered carbon nanotubes (CNTs)[1]
We report that dispersion of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in silicone, which was significantly affected by the way of mixing through rheology
We investigate systematically how MWCNTs dispersion degree and loading affect both the rheological behavior and electrical properties

Summary

Introduction

The CNTs possess low mass density, high aspect ratio and degree of graphitization, which make CNTs endowed with excellent mechanical and electrical properties[2,3]. These excellent properties make CNTs promising candidates as filler material in the design of new composite systems. MWCNTs silicone elastomer with different mixing time and different MWCNTs content were prepared to carry out the effect of MWCNTs on electrical properties. Mixing time varied in order to study the effect of MWCNTs’ dispersion on rheological and electrical properties of these composites. Changing MWCNTs content in order to research the effect of MWCNTs loading on rheological and electrical properties of these composites. Dielectric constant and dielectric loss were measured by using a broad band dielectric spectrometer Concept 40 (NOVOCONTROL, Germany) at 1000 Hz with disk-shaped samples with 20 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness

Result and discussion

Conclusion