Synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotube/silica nanoparticle/polystyrene microsphere/polyaniline based hybrids for EMI shielding application

摘要

Novel polystyrene microsphere (PSMS)-based PSMS/Si and polystyrene/silica nanoparticle/multi-walled carbon nanotube (PS/Si/MWCNT) nanocomposite has been prepared using in situ sol-gel and chemical amalgamation methods. Aniline monomer was introduced by in situ route to form PSMS/PANI, PSMS/PANI/Si and PSMS/PANI/Si/MWCNT nanocomposite. FESEM of nanocomposite indicated core-shell spherical and tubular morphology. Glass transition temperature (T-g) and maximum decomposition temperature (T-max) of PSMS/PANI/Si/MWCNT nanocomposite were found as 295 degrees C and 524 degrees C, respectively, which were higher than the PSMS/PANI (T-g = 245 degrees C; T-max = 387 degrees C) and PSMS/PANI/Si (T-g = 257 degrees C; T-max = 388 degrees C) nanocomposite. For nanocomposite dispersion, tetrahydrofuran was studied as fine solvent. XRD depicted amorphous nature of PSMS/Si and PSMS/PANI/Si; however MWCNT reduced amorphous character of PSMS/PANI/Si/MWCNT. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness improved from 0.1dB (PSMS) to 12.3dB (PSMS/PANI/Si) to 24.5dB (PSMS/PANI/Si/MWCNT). The increase in EMI shielding effectiveness was also observed with variation in log of conductivity from -14mho m(-1) (PSMA) to 1.17 mho m(-1) (PSMS/PANI/Si/MWCNT).