Thermal and Electrical Transport Properties of Sheared and Un-Sheared Thin-Film Polymer/CNTs Nanocomposites

Abstract

Transport properties have been measured transverse to the plane of sheared and un-sheared thin-film nanocomposites of isotactic Polypropylene (iPP) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) at various MWCNT concentrations. The sheared samples were processed in the melt at 200 0C at 1 Hz in a Linkan microscope shearing hot stage. The thermal and electrical conductivity measurements were performed on the same cell arrangement with the transport perpendicular to the thin-film plane using a DC method. The thermal and electrical conductivity perpendicular to the surface of the films are higher for the un-sheared as compared to the sheared samples. Interestingly, the percolation threshold appears smeared in both conductivity measurements likely due to pressing and shear treatment of the films, or the spacing between the data points. Important for electronics packaging and materials for which those anisotropic properties are highly desired this work presents important advances in understanding the structure-transport property relations.

Enhanced mechanical properties of multiwalled carbon nanotubes/thermoplastic polyurethane nanocomposites

“…Nanotube polymer composite scaffold has been studied for many industrial applications such as electronic packing, shielding, and storage capacitors. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] Recently, a significant improvement in the mechanical properties was also observed in the composites scaffold. 14 However, there is a big challenge to fabricate the composite scaffold beyond certain higher loading of nanofiller composition due to possible aggregation.…”

Carbon Nanostructure‐Based Scale Sensors Using Inkjet Printing and Casting Techniques

“…Their nanostructures exhibit many interesting and often unique properties, and hence, they can be used in many novel technological and industrial applications. Due to their unique electrical and electronic properties, CNTs are considered for various next-generation device applications, that is nanofluids [1][2][3], scanning probes [4], nanocomposites [5][6][7][8][9], grease [10,11], electron magnetic shielding interface [12][13][14][15][16], solar thermal absorbers [17] and sensors [18][19][20][21][22]. The electrical resistance of the carbon nanomaterials changes when chemicals in the surrounding make covalent or non-covalent interaction with the carbon nanomaterials.…”

Studies of Electrical and Thermal Conductivities of Sheared Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube with Isotactic Polypropylene Polymer Composites

“…In the past, experimental and theoretical work has shown a significantly high thermal conductivity with 3000 W/m K for multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) [1][2]. Recent reports showed modest increases in the thermal conductivity of polymers at lower volume fraction of nanotubes loading [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Polymers have low thermal and electrical conductivities due to restriction of the phonon/electron motion through the composite matrix, and have larger interfacial thermal/electrical resistances at the polymernanotube interfacial surface [4,[11][12].…”

“…The electrical conductivity of polymer composites is low at lower MWCNTs loading [21][22] and these nanocomposites should allow for tuneable material characteristics. The anisotropy of the carbon nanotubes is tuned into a global anisotropy in macroscopic properties of composites by orienting the nanotubes in the composites sample [4]. To achieve excellent electrical, thermal, optical and mechanical properties, we need to have excellent dispersion and stronger adhesive interaction of MWCNTs within the polymer matrix [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31].…”