Electrical Conductivity and Micro Hardness of Synthetic and Natural Graphite Epoxy Composite

Abstract

This study investigates the electrical conductivity and micro hardness of synthetic and natural graphite epoxy composite. Graphite used on this study is synthetic graphite (SG) and natural graphite (NG) with particle size 44m and 30m, respectively. Different graphite concentrations (50 ~ 80 wt.%) were added into the epoxy resin. The dispersion of graphite in epoxy resin was conducted by high speed mixer through mechanical shearing mechanism, its graphite epoxy suspension was poured into the mold and compression molding was conducted for fabrication of graphite epoxy composites. Electrical conductivity was measured by the four point probe. Microscopic analyses conducted on fracture surface use scanning electron microscopic. Results reveal that non conductive epoxy polymer becomes conductor as addition of graphite. Electrical conductivity of NG higher than SG at the same weight percentage (Wt. %) of conducting filler loading. The highest loading concentration, it exhibited values 12.6 S/cm and 7 S/cm at (80 Wt. %). Hardness property of epoxy composites of both type of graphite increase continuously and reached peak at 60 wt% for NG and 70 wt % for SG, while more addition decreased it.