Influence of preparation methods on the electrical and nanomechanical properties of poly(methyl methacrylate)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes composites

ABSTRACT Poly(methyl methacrylate)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (PMMA/MWCNT) composites were prepared by two different methods: melt mixing and solution casting. For solution casting, two different solvents, toluene and chloroform, were used to prepare PMMA solutions with different concentrations of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied polymer science 2015-04, Vol.132 (13), p.np-n/a
Main Authors: Mosnáčková, Katarína, Špitálský, Zdenko, Kuliček, Jaroslav, Prokeš, Jan, Skarmoutsou, Amalia, Charitidis, Costas A., Omastová, Mária
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
composites
Conductivity
Electrical conductivity
Electrical resistivity
Fillers
graphene and fullerenes
Materials science
mechanical properties
Melts
Methods
Nanotechnology
Nanotubes
Polymers
Polymethyl methacrylates
Resistivity
synthesis and processing
Toluene
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Summary:ABSTRACT Poly(methyl methacrylate)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (PMMA/MWCNT) composites were prepared by two different methods: melt mixing and solution casting. For solution casting, two different solvents, toluene and chloroform, were used to prepare PMMA solutions with different concentrations of MWCNT. The dispersion of the CNT in the composite samples was verified by scanning electron microscopy. For the nanocomposites prepared by both methods, the electrical conductivity increased with increasing filler content, showing typical percolation behavior. In addition, an increase of 11 orders of magnitude in the electrical conductivity relative to the matrix conductivity was determined by broadband dielectric spectroscopy and four probe conductivity measurements. A maximum value of σDC ∼ 1.6 S/cm was found for the highest filler loaded sample (3.67 vol %), which was prepared by solution casting from toluene. Nanoindentation analysis was used to characterize the surface mechanical properties of the composite samples prepared by the different methods. Indentation tests were performed at various penetration depths, and it was revealed that the melt mixing process resulted in stiffer neat PMMA samples compared to the solution casted PMMA samples. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41721.
ISSN:0021-8995
1097-4628
DOI:10.1002/app.41721