Development of electrically/thermally conducting polymer-matrix composites
Polymer-matrix composites that are (i) electrically conducting or (ii) thermally conducting but electrically insulating were developed. A goal was to enhance the conductivity, while maintaining good mechanical properties. An in-situ technology for forming an electrically conducting network in a polymer-matrix composite during composite fabrication was developed. One variation of this technology involved the use of a particulate filler that melted at fabrication temperature and hot pressing the filler-polymer mixture at a temperature above the T{sub g} of the polymer, so that the filler particles became flakes that were partially interconnected. Another variation involved adding a small proportion of metal particles as a second filler to a fiber composite. In the second category of the composites (ii), a bridge technology was developed. With a mixture of AlN particles and a small proportion of less conductive SiC whiskers, the thermal conductivity and the flexural toughness were enhanced from the values of the composite containing AlN particles only. The viscosity of the polymer was found to affect the formation of quasi-continuous electrically conducting paths in discontinuous composites made by compression molding of a polymer-filler particulate mixture with the filler in the segregated packing arrangement. Polymers with a high viscosity above their T{sub g} resulted in improved electrical properties. The combination of aluminum flakes and PES and that of nickel particles and PISO gave composites of good electrical and mechanical properties. The use of a silane coupling agent was found to decrease the CTE of AlN polyimide-matrix composites and increase the tensile strength. The use of Cu-coated PES particles in a single layer not touching one another in a PISO matrix provided conducting paths along the z-axis. The average electrical resistivity were 0.05 ohm.cm and 2 ohm-cm (overall composite film). The conducting path density was 10{sup 3}/cm{sup 2}.
- Research Organization:
- State Univ. of New York, Buffalo, NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 106969
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: TH: Thesis (Ph.D.); PBD: 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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