Preparation of antistatic high‐density polyethylene composites based on synergistic effect of graphene nanoplatelets and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Graphene nanoplatelets are promising candidates for enhancing the electrical conductivity of composites. However, because of their poor dispersion, graphene nanoplatelets must be added in large amounts to achieve the desired electrical properties, but such large amounts limit the industrial application of graphene nanoplatelets. Multi‐walled carbon nanotubes also possess high electrical conductivity accompanied by poor dispersion. Therefore, a synergistic effect was generated between graphene nanoplatelets and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes and used for the first time to prepare antistatic materials with high‐density polyethylene via 1‐step melt blending. The synergistic effect makes it possible to significantly improve the electrical properties by adding a small amount of untreated graphene nanoplatelets and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes and increases the possibility of using graphene nanoplatelets in industrial applications. When only 1 wt% graphene nanoplatelets and 0.5 wt% multi‐walled carbon nanotubes were added, the surface and volume resistivity values of the composites were much lower than those of the composites that were only added 3 wt% graphene nanoplatelets. Additionally, as a result of the synergistic effect of graphene nanoplatelets and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes, the composites met the requirements for antistatic materials.