Abstract
The present paper evaluates a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) of polypropylene (PP) and nitrile rubber (NBR), with and without carbon nanotube (CNT), with a potential application in structures that protect radar antennas, radomes. Morphological analysis, izod impact test, electromagnetic properties measurement and S-parameters were performed in order to verify its operational functioning. The presence of CNT affected the morphology of TPV, reducing the size of NBR particles. This enhanced impact strength results, besides the already known reinforcing effect of CNT on polymeric matrices. Electromagnetic parameters showed that both filled and unfilled TPV are low-loss materials. However, better impact result makes the filled TPV the most indicated material for radome application.
Highlights
Antennas and radars are indispensable components in the fields of telecommunication, aerospace and military (Zhang et al 2017)
The objective of this study is to evaluate the possible application as a radome material of a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) made of polypropylene (PP) and nitrile rubber (NBR), filled and unfilled with carbon nanotube (CNT)
A TPV and a conductive composite based on the TPV and CNT, named CPC, were prepared in an internal mixer HAAKE Rheomix 600
Summary
Antennas and radars are indispensable components in the fields of telecommunication, aerospace and military (Zhang et al 2017). Radomes are physical barriers responsible for protecting antennas from rain, humidity, wind, fluids or aircraft fuel and solvents (Waqas et al 2019) For such application, the constitutive material of a radome must be light, provide good structural rigidity and impact strength, as well as be transparent at the antenna’s operation frequency and present low signal reflection on its surface, and this attribute is crucial for its proper performance (Choi et al 2011). Thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) are polymeric blends in which elastomer particles are crosslinked and finely dispersed in a continuous thermoplastic matrix. These materials combine the elasticity of crosslinked rubber with the processing and recycling abilities of thermoplastics (Drobny 2014). Due to pleas for environmental protection and conscious usage of resources, especially fossil, TPVs have received special attention (Ma et al 2016), especially by substituting pure crosslinked rubber, which cannot be recycled
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