Thermoreversibly Cross-Linked EPM Rubber Nanocomposites with Carbon Nanotubes

Conductive rubber nanocomposites were prepared by dispersing conductive nanotubes (CNT) in thermoreversibly cross-linked ethylene propylene rubbers grafted with furan groups (EPM-g-furan) rubbers. Their features were studied with a strong focus on conductive and mechanical properties relevant for st...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2018-01, Vol.8 (2), p.58
Main Authors: Polgar, Lorenzo Massimo, Criscitiello, Francesco, van Essen, Machiel, Araya-Hermosilla, Rodrigo, Migliore, Nicola, Lenti, Mattia, Raffa, Patrizio, Picchioni, Francesco, Pucci, Andrea
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbon nanotubes
crack-healing
Crosslinking
Deformation
Deformation resistance
Design for recycling
Electrical resistivity
Elongation
Joule effect
Mechanical properties
Nanocomposites
Nanotechnology
Nanotubes
Propylene
Rubber
rubber nanocomposite
Sensitivity
Strain
strain sensor
thermoreversible cross-linking
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Summary:Conductive rubber nanocomposites were prepared by dispersing conductive nanotubes (CNT) in thermoreversibly cross-linked ethylene propylene rubbers grafted with furan groups (EPM-g-furan) rubbers. Their features were studied with a strong focus on conductive and mechanical properties relevant for strain-sensor applications. The Diels-Alder chemistry used for thermoreversible cross-linking allows for the preparation of fully recyclable, homogeneous, and conductive nanocomposites. CNT modified with compatible furan groups provided nanocomposites with a relatively large tensile strength and small elongation at break. High and low sensitivity deformation experiments of nanocomposites with 5 wt % CNT (at the percolation threshold) displayed an initially linear sensitivity to deformation. Notably, only fresh samples displayed a linear response of their electrical resistivity to deformations as the resistance variation collapsed already after one cycle of elongation. Notwithstanding this mediocre performance as a strain sensor, the advantages of using thermoreversible chemistry in a conductive rubber nanocomposite were highlighted by demonstrating crack-healing by welding due to the joule effect on the surface and the bulk of the material. This will open up new technological opportunities for the design of novel strain-sensors based on recyclable rubbers.
ISSN:2079-4991
2079-4991
DOI:10.3390/nano8020058