Abstract
The effects of carboxylic functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) contents on electrical and flammability properties of poly(lactic) acid/CNT nanocomposites were investigated. The PLA/CNT nanocomposites were prepared by melt-blending method, where the CNT contents were varied from 1 to 9 phr. From flammability properties analysis, nanocomposites with 9 phr CNT showed the highest limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 26.5 vol% as compared to 19.5 vol% of neat PLA. All nanocomposites with higher than 5 phr CNT contents also passed the V0 class of UL-94 vertical burning test rating. The direct current electrical test revealed that the electrical conductivity increases by approximately seven orders of magnitude from 2.19 × 10-11 S/m of neat PLA to 2.00 × 10-4 S/m for PLA/CNT nanocomposites with 5 phr CNT contents. The electrical conductivity of PLA/CNT continues to increase beyond 5 phr contents, with 2.26 × 10-3 S/m and 4.29 × 10-3 S/m respectively for 7 and 9 phr contents. The good dispersion of CNT leads to formation of electron conducting CNT networks throughout the insulating PLA matrix.
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