Mi Sun Han

Effect of multi-walled carbon nanotube dispersion on the electrical, morphological and rheological properties of polycarbonate/multi-walled carbon nanotube composites

The effect of a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) dispersion on the electrical, morphological and rheological properties of polycarbonate (PC)/MWCNT composites was investigated, with and without pretreating the MWCNTs with hydrogen peroxide oxidation and lyophilization. The resulting PC/treated MWCNT composites showed higher electrical conductivity than the PC/untreated MWCNT composites. The morphological behavior indicated the treated composites to have greater dispersion of MWCNTs in the PC matrix. In addition, the electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency (EMI SE) of the treated composites was higher than that of the untreated ones. Rheological studies of the composites showed that the complex viscosity of the treated composites was higher than the untreated ones due to increased dispersion of the MWCNTs in the PC matrix, which is consistent with the electrical conductivity, EMI SE and morphological studies of the treated composites. The latter results suggested that the increased electrical conductivity and EMI SE of the treated composites were mainly due to the increased dispersion of MWCNTs in the PC matrix.

Effects of Organoclay on the Thermal Insulating Properties of Rigid Polyurethane Foams Blown by Environmentally Friendly Blowing Agents

A process designed to synthesize rigid polyurethane foam (PUF) with insulative properties via the modulation of PUF cell size via the addition of clay and the application of ultrasound was assessed. The blowing agents utilized in this study include water, cyclopentane, and HFC-365mfc, all of which are known to be environmentallyfriendly blowing agents. The rigid PUFs were prepared from polymeric 4,4’-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (PMDI) and polyether polyol with a density of 50 kg/m3. In addition, rigid PUFs/clay nanocomposites were synthesized with clay modified by PMDI with and without the application of ultrasound. The PUF generated using water as a blowing agent evidenced the highest tensile strength. The tensile strength of the PUF/nanocomposites was higher than that of the neat PUF and the strength was even higher with the application of ultrasound. The cell size of the PUF/clay nanocomposites was less than that of the neat PUF, regardless of the type of blowing agent utilized. It appears that the higher tensile strength and lower cell size of the PUF/clay nanocomposites may be attributable to the uniform dispersion of the clay via ultrasonic agitation. The thermal conductivity of the PUF/clay nanocomposites generated with HCFC-141b evidenced the lowest value when PUF/clay nanocomposites were compared with other blowing agents, including HFC-365mfc, cyclopentane, and water. Ultrasound has also proven effective with regard to the reduction of the thermal conductivity of the PUF/clay nanocomposites with any of the blowing agents employed in this study. It has also been suggested that the uniformly dispersed clay particles in the PUF matrix function as diffusion barriers, which prevent the amelioration of the thermal insulation property.

Effects of morphology on the electrical and mechanical properties of the polycarbonate/multi-walled carbon nanotube composites

The electrical, morphological, and mechanical properties of polycarbonate (PC)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composites were studied by electrical conductivity, electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency (EMI SE), scanning electron microscopy, and tensile strength measurements. In the electrical property analysis of the PC/MWNT composites, the percolation threshold of the PC/MWNT composites was observed between 1.5 and 2.5 wt% MWNT content. From the electrical conductivity and EMI SE studies, the theoretical values of the EMI SE were in good agreement with the experimental values of the EMI SE. From the morphology of the PC/MWNT composites, it was observed that MWNT is dispersed homogenously in the PC matrix. From the electrical conductivity and morphological studies, it was suggested that the percolation threshold of the PC/MWNT composites is related with the morphological results in that MWNT is apparently interconnected to form an electrical pathway. The mechanical properties of the PC/MWNT composites peaked at the MWNT content of 2.5 wt%.

Effects of silicone surfactant on the cell size and thermal conductivity of rigid polyurethane foams by environmentally friendly blowing agents

Rigid polyurethane foams (PUF)s were synthesized with environmentally friendly blowing agents such as a cyclopentane/distilled water (10.0/1.0, pphp) mixture and distilled water only for four different silicone surfactants having different silicone/polyether ratios. An attempt was made to reduce the thermal conductivities of the PUF samples by varying the concentration and the silicone/polyether ratio of the various silicone surfactants. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicated an optimum concentration of the silicone surfactant of about 1.5 to 2.5 phpp for various surfactants to reduce the cell size and lower the thermal conductivity. The silicone surfactant having a higher silicone/polymer ratio showed a smaller cell size and, therefore, demonstrated the lower thermal conductivity of the PUF samples. From the relation between the thermal conductivity and the cell size of the PUF samples, the smaller cell size improved the thermal insulation property of the rigid PUF for both the PUF samples blown by the cyclopentane/distilled water (10.0/1.0, pphp) mixture and distilled water only. If the blowing agent is fixed, then the cell size is an important factor to decrease the thermal conductivity of the PUF samples. These results indicated that rigid PUF samples having lower thermal conductivity can be obtained by choosing a silicone surfactant containing a higher silicone/polyether ratio, as well as an optimum content of the surfactant.

Morphological, mechanical and rheological properties of poly(acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene)/polycarbonate/poly(ε-caprolactone) ternary blends

The effects of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) on poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS) and polycarbonate (PC) blends were studied. Blends of ABS/PC (70/30, wt%) with PCL as a compatibilizer were prepared by a twin screw extruder. From the glass transition temperature (Tg) results of the ABS/PC blends with PCL, the Tg (PC) of the ABS/PC (70/30) blends decreased with increasing PCL content. From the results of the morphology of the ABS/PC (70/30) blends with PCL, the phase separation between the ABS and PC phases became less significant after adding PCL in the ABS/PC blends. In addition, the morphological studies of the ABS/PC blends etched by NaOH indicated that the shape of the droplet was changed from regular round to irregular round by adding PCL in the ABS/PC blends. These results for the mechanical properties of the ABS/PC blends with PCL indicated that the tensile, flexural and impact strengths of the ABS/PC (70/30) blends peaked at a PCL content of 0.5 phr. From the results for the rheological properties of the ABS/PC (70/30) blends with PCL content, the storage modulus, loss modulus and complex viscosity increased at PCL content up to 5 phr. From the above results of theTg, mechanical properties, morphology and complex viscosity of the ABS/PC blends with PCL, it was concluded that the compatibility was increased with PCL addition in the ABS/PC (70/30, wt%) blends and that the optimum concentration of PCL as a compatibilizer is 0.5 phr.

Thermal, Morphological and Rheological Properties of Rigid Polyurethane Foams as Thermal Insulating Materials

The polyurethane foams (PUFs) were prepared by polyether polyols, polymeric 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate (PMDI), silicone surfactants, amine catalysts and cyclopentane as a blowing agent. Solid and liquid type fillers were used as a nucleating agent to decrease a cell size of the PUFs as well as improve the thermal insulating properties of the PUFs. The PUFs were prepared by adding solid and liquid type fillers in the range of 1 to 3 wt%. For the liquid type fillers, the cell size of the PUFs showed minimum and found to decrease compared the PUF without adding fillers. Also, thermal conductivity of the PUFs with adding fillers showed minimum. For the solid type fillers, cell size and thermal conductivity of the PUFs were observed to decrease with the filler content up to 3 wt%. From these results, it is suggested that the thermal insulating property of the PUFs can be improved by adding fillers as a nucleating agent. Also, storage and loss modulus of the PUFs will be presented to study gelling points...