EXAMINATION OF MULTI-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES AND GRAPHITE NANOPLATELET INTERACTIONS IN POLYCARBONATE

摘要

Exploiting the extraordinary electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes(CNT) at low loading is essential to the filler's use in industry. By using two geometricallydissimilar fillers, CNT (1D) and graphite nanoplatelets (GNP, 2D), a co-supporting network ofboth fillers can be formed to realize a synergistic effect for further improving beyond theproperties of a single filler system. In this investigation, the influence of different CNT and GNPcombinations on the morphological and electrical properties of polycarbonate (PC) compositeswas examined. Through this process, the GNP geometry was found to shield the CNT fromfracture and damage during processing whilst still allowing full dispersion of both fillers duringhigh power sonication. This leads to the formation of a hybrid network and a lower electricalpercolation compared to single filler systems at the same loading. Hybrid systems were found tohave up to an 8 magnitude decrease in resistivity at only 0.25 total wt%. In addition to theincreased electrical properties, the composites are able to maintain most of the transparency ofthe pure PC film samples. Through the use of the hybrid filler system, enhanced electricalproperties at low loadings have been realized making the use of CNTs more practical forindustry.