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Title: Rheology, Morphology and Temperature Dependency of Nanotube Networks in Polycarbonate/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Composites

Journal Article · · AIP Conference Proceedings
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2964742· OSTI ID:21149139
;  [1];  [2]
  1. CREPEC, Department of Chemical Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique, P.O. Box 6079, Station Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3A7 (Canada)
  2. CREPEC, Industrial Materials Institute, National Research Council Canada, 75, de Mortagne, Boucherville, QC, JB4 6Y4 (Canada)

We present several issues related to the state of dispersion and rheological behavior of polycarbonate/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites. The composites were prepared by diluting a commercial masterbatch containing 15 wt% nanotubes using optimized melt-mixing conditions. The state of dispersion was then analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM). Rheological characterization was also used to assess the final morphology. Further, it was found that the rheological percolation threshold decreased significantly with increasing temperature and finally reached a constant value. This is described in terms of the Brownian motion, which increases with temperature. However, by increasing the nanotube content, the temperature effects on the complex viscosity at low frequency decreased significantly. Finally, the percolation thresholds were found to be approximately equal to 0.3 and 2 wt% for rheological and electrical conductivity measurements, respectively.

OSTI ID:
21149139
Journal Information:
AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1027, Issue 1; Conference: 15. international congress on rheology: Society of Rheology 80. annual meeting, Monterey, CA (United States), 3-8 Aug 2008; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2964742; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English