In order to ensure better rubber/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) compatibility and to enhance the dispersibility, a series of ionic liquids has been tested in regard to an improved interaction between rubber and carbon nanotubes. We found that in the presence of especially one ionic liquid, namely, 1-allyl-3-methyl imidazolium chloride, for the blend of solution-styrene-butadiene and polybutadiene rubber, used as basic elastomer, a three fold increase of tensile strength was achieved with only ~3 wt. MWCNT loading. At this low concentration of MWCNTs the sample can be stretched up to 456 without mechanical failure. The use of this ionic liquid additionally results in higher electrical conductivity (10~(-2) S cm~(-1)) at low concentration (<3 wt.) of MWCNTs. Dynamic mechanical analysis confirmed the specific interaction of CNTs and diene rubber chains by showing an extra relaxation process at relatively higher temperature (~T_g + 130 K) in the temperature sweep measurements. Raman spectroscopic analysis also supported the specific interaction between MWCNTs and rubber molecules with the help of 1-allyl-3-methyl imidazolium chloride. Transmission electron microscopic images confirm the good dispersion of the MWCNTs along with a 'cellular'-like structure of the CNTs in the rubber matrix.
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