Polypropylene/poly(lactic acid)/carbon nanotube semi‐biodegradable nanocomposites: The effect of sequential mixing approach and compatibilization on morphology, rheology and electrical conductivity

Abstract

Semi-biodegradable polypropylene (PP)/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) (50:50 vol%) blend loaded with 0.6 vol% of pristine carbon nanotube (CNT) were prepared by melt compounding the components using different sequential mixing strategies: (i) all components together (PP/PLA/CNT); (ii) PP first mixed with CNT (PP@CNT/EVA) and (iii) EVA first mixed with CNT (EVA@CNT/PP). The composites presented co-continuous structure and the CNT selectively localized inside the PP phase or at the interface, regardless the order of the CNT addition into the mixing. These features were confirmed by selective extraction experiments and morphological studies: optical, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy. However, the preferential localization at the interface was predicted from wetting coefficient, determined from interfacial energy. Higher electrical conductivity values were achieved by using the onestep mixing approach, were all components were mixed together, whose value of around 10 À4 S/m was achieved by adding 0.6 vol% of CNT to the blend. The compatibilization with polypropylene-g-maleic anhydride increased the melt viscosity of the blend and composite but did not affect the conductivity or the tensile properties of the CNT-based composite.

Tailoring Nylon 6/Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Nanocomposites for Application against Electromagnetic Interference: Evaluation of the Mechanical, Thermal and Electrical Behavior, and the Electromagnetic Shielding Efficiency

“…Figure 1 b shows that the nanocomposite with 5 phr MWCNT presented the highest complex viscosity in the terminal zone, revealing a better dispersion of the conductive additive in the Nylon 6 matrix. The literature [ 54 ] reported a similar behavior and attributed the viscosity increment to a high dispersion state of the nanofiller. This helps to improve the matrix-nanofiller interfacial contact area and, consequently, produces a higher viscosity.…”

Facile production of binary polymer/carbonic nanofiller‐based biodegradable electromagnetic interference shield films with low electrical percolation threshold

“…Xu et al [ 21 ] produced MWCNT/PLA‐based nanocomposites of which 2 wt% of filler content gave EMI shielding of around 35 dB. Cordeiro et al [ 22 ] prepared polypropylene/PLA/MWCNT‐based composites to get conductivity around 10–4 S/m with only 0.6 vol% of filler content. A new trend of research is to develop polymer nano‐composites which are intentionally produced by blending two or more polymers having the conductive filler distributed on a particular polymeric phase so that the electrical conductivity percolation threshold [ 23 ] of the composite could be reduced and the minimum filler addition could be able to make the composite electrically conductive.…”

Electrical nanocomposites of PA6/ABS/ABS‐MA reinforced with carbon nanotubes (MWCNTf) for antistatic packaging

“…Adding electrically conductive nanofillers, such as carbon nanotubes, into insulating polymer matrices is an attractive alternative toward good mechanical and electrical properties. [ 30,79 ] Figure 14 presents the electrical current–voltage (I‐V) response for the nanocomposites. The analysis was not performed for pure PA6 and its blends since they are insulating materials.…”