Poly(lactic acid)-based polymer composites with high electric and thermal conductivity and their characterization

• Published in: Polymer testing 2017-04, Vol.58, p.241-248
• Main Authors: Lebedev, S.M., Gefle, O.S., Amitov, E.T., Berchuk, D.Yu, Zhuravlev, D.V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-D printers; Additive manufacturing; Biodegradability; Dielectric spectroscopy; Electrical resistivity; Electrically and thermally conductive polymer composites; Extrusion molding; Fillers; Heat conductivity; Heat transfer; Injection molding; Melt flow index; Poly(lactic acid); Polylactic acid; Polymer matrix composites; Single wall carbon nanotubes; Studies; Thermal conductivity; Thermodynamic properties; Three dimensional printing
• ISSN: 0142-9418; 1873-2348
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymertesting.2016.12.033

Electrically and thermally conductive polymer composites on the basis of biodegradable poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were developed and studied in this work. Pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and powder of natural graphite (G) were used as fillers in polymer composites. PLA-based composites were prepared by melt-compounding method. The volume resistivity of PLA/CNT composites can be changed by more than ten orders of magnitude compared to that for neat PLA. The thermal conductivity of PLA/G composites can be changed from 0.193 W⋅m−1⋅K−1 (neat PLA) up to 2.73 W⋅m−1⋅K−1. Loading small quantity of CNTs into PLA/G composites increases the thermal conductivity not less than by 40% of magnitude. Besides, all developed PLA-based composites are suitable for processing by injection molding, extrusion or additive manufacturing technology (3D printing).