Polypropylene nanocomposites with high-loading conductive carbon nano-reinforcements for multifunctional applications

Abstract

Lightweight automotive parts fabrication is an essential criterion for the improvement of the efficiency of vehicles. In this work, different weight (wt) content of commercially developed carbon nanofiber (CNF) and granulated graphitized graphene (GRP) were melt extruded with polypropylene (PP) with the aim of improvement in mechanical and electrical properties. The CNF–PP and GRP–PP nanocomposites were developed by injection molding technique, and mechanical as well as electrical properties at different reinforcement content were studied. A three-point bending test showed that flexural strength and modulus increases with increment in nanofiller content, and maximum mechanical properties were obtained by 45 wt% CNF–PP and 60 wt% GRP–PP nanocomposites. Electrical conductivity of 1.4 and 0.4 S/cm were achieved by incorporating 60 wt% CNF and 60 wt% GRP in PP nanocomposites. Thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and maximum thermal stability was achieved by 45% CNF–PP nanocomposites. Morphological study by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed considerable aligned CNF selectively located in the PP matrix and exhibited oriented dispersion while filler agglomeration phenomena observed for GRP at high loading, which made nanocomposites have significant enhancement of mechanical and electrical properties using CNF reinforcement.