Polymer/Multiwall Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT) Nanocomposites Made by Solid-state Shear Pulverization (SSSP): Processing, Dispersion and Properties

摘要

Low levels of well-dispersed carbon nanotube (CNT) are known to yield polymer nanocomposites with enhanced properties. However, the high surface-to-volume ratio and the entanglements within samples of as-received CNTs can severely limit the ability of conventional, industrially scalable process methods to achieve a well-dispersed state. To address this issue, various multiwall carbon nanotubes have been incorporated into polypropylene (PP) by a continuous process called solid-state shear pulverization (SSSP). The SSSP process yielded dispersion of the originally large, heavily entangled agglomerates into significantly dispersed, small agglomerates of CNTs with incorporated PP. Subsequent melt processing of the nanocomposites made by SSSP resulted in single CNTs dispersed throughout the PP matrix. The ability of SSSP followed by melt processing to yield a well-dispersed state of CNTs in PP was studied as a function of the initial structure of CNT (diameter, length and degree of entanglement).