Preparation and Properties of SWNTs/PU Conductive Nonwovens with High SWNTs Loadings

Abstract

In this study, electrospinning technique was used to produce single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs)/thermal polyurethane (PU) nanofibrous nonwovens. The used content of SWNTs was changed from zero to 10 wt% within the PU fibers. Morphology, thermal stability, and dynamic properties of the SWNTs/PU nonwovens were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), respectively. Direct current (DC) conductivities and alternating-current (AC) conductivities of the resulting nonwovens were also obtained by resistivity measurement. Results have shown that thermal decomposition temperature, storage modulus, and glass transition temperature (T g) of the nonwovens are improved significantly by adding high amount of SWNTs into the PU ultrathin fibers. As the SWNTs loading increased, the diameter of the SWNTs/PU fibers decreased. Also, the conductivity of the nanofibrous nonwovens is improved by 10 orders of magnitude with a 10 wt% SWNTs loading.