Abstract
Carbon nanomaterial particles were selectively distributed in an incompatible and high-melting-temperature polymer blend interface, or in a particular phase, to obtain conductive composites. The composite products revealed poor morphology stability and mechanical performance due to processing several times. Poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) and poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) polymers with large differences of processing temperatures were selected as blend components to obtain a compatible blend. PPS/PEEK/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) ternary nanocomposites were prepared using a controlled melt blending process. The composite samples with similar sausage-like structures of PEEK, as a dispersed phase, promote MWCNT to maximize concentration distribution in the PPS continuous phase. As a result, the theoretical percolation threshold of the composite reduced to 0.347 wt %. Moreover, the conductivity of the composite remained stable even after processing several times. CNTs revealed a particular effect when distributed selectively in this kind of system: it can enhance the dispersion of phases and also provide conductivity to the blend at small CNT contents, which can provide more useful ideas for the development of high-melting-temperature and antistatic or conductive plastic materials.
Highlights
The preparation of conductive polymer composites through compounding of immiscible and high-melting-temperature polymers containing conductive fillers has attracted much attention in recent years
The blend was melt-mixed with multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) in an internal mixer at
Poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) and poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) are fully compatible in the melt [16] but they are separated in the solid-phase blending system [17]
Summary
The preparation of conductive polymer composites through compounding of immiscible and high-melting-temperature polymers containing conductive fillers has attracted much attention in recent years. The outstanding characteristics of conductive polymer composites make them widely popular in various applications, including electronics and electrical appliances, automobiles, and aerospace [1,2,3,4]. Electrical percolation threshold (EPT) is the minimum conductive filler particle content at which a continuous conducting network is formed, resulting in an electrically conductive polymer matrix. To maintain the mechanical and rheological properties, and to decrease the costs, the EPT value of filler in matrix should be decreased [5,6,7,8]. Compared with metal conductive fillers, nanoscale carbon materials (such as carbon black, nanodiamonds, graphene, and carbon nanotubes) may provide conductive polymer composites with low density and high electrical conductivity. High contents of nanoscale carbon materials in the polymer matrix may adversely affect the rheological and mechanical properties of the composites
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