Preparation and Properties of the Nanocomposites Based on Poly(methyl methacrylate-co-butyl acrylate) and Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube

Abstract

Nanocomposites, based on multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and various acrylic copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate-co-butyl acrylate)s, were prepared and the effects of the copolymer compositions on the electrical and the dynamic mechanical properties of the nanocomposites investigated. Latices of the acrylic copolymer were prepared by emulsion polymerization, and then mixed with MWCNT dispersed in N-methylpyrrolidone to prepare the nanocomposites. The electrical resistivities of the nanocomposites showed threshold decreases with increasing MWCNT content, due to percolation. The critical MWCNT content (Pc) in the nanocomposites for percolation showed minimum with increasing butyl acrylate content within the poly(methyl methacrylate-co-butyl acrylate). Specifically, the nanocomposites of the acrylic copolymer with a butyl acrylate content of 20-40 wt% showed the lowest Pc value of all the nanocomposites investigated. The nanocomposites showed large increases in the storage moduli in the rubbery plateau region. A decrease in the glass transition temperature (Tg) was observed with the nanocomposites and attributed to the characteristics of the nanocomposites, where the large surface area of MWCNT makes the matrix polymers similar to those of free stand thin film polymers.