Petra Pötschke

Selective Localization and Migration of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes in Blends of Polycarbonate and Poly(styrene-acrylonitrile)

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) have been introduced into blends of polycarbonate (PC) and poly(styrene-acrylonitrile) (SAN) by melt mixing in a microcompounder. Co-continuous blends are prepared by either pre-compounding low amounts of nanotubes into PC or SAN or by mixing all three components together. Interestingly, in all blends, regardless of the way of introducing the nanotubes, the MWNTs were exclusively located within the PC phase, which resulted in much lower electrical resistivities as compared to PC or SAN composites with the same MWNT content. The migration of MWNTs from the SAN phase into the PC phase during common mixing is explained by interfacial effects.

Formation of Co-continuous Structures in Melt-Mixed Immiscible Polymer Blends

Abstract Co-continuous structures can be regarded as the coexistence of at least two continuous structures within the same volume. Blends with co-continuous structures may combine the properties of both components in a favorable way, for example, mechanical moduli. This review article deals with the identification, characterization, and properties of co-continuous structures as well as with the development of co-continuous structures during the melt blending process. Co-continuous structures usually can be formed within a composition region about the phase inversion composition, which mainly depends on the viscosity ratio. On the other hand, co-continuous structures can be found independent of composition as intermediate stages during the initial state of morphology development and during phase inversion process in blends in which the component finally forming the dispersed phase forms the matrix in early mixing states. In addition, even at low volume fractions of one component, stable co-continuous morphologies can be created using suitable processing conditions, forming long elongated interconnected structures that do not break up because of the flow. The interfacial tension plays an important role for the stability; a lower interfacial tension leads to broader composition ranges of co-continuous structures. Another factor enhancing the formation and stability of co-continuous structure is melt yield stress of one or both components of blends. In addition, this article reviews the stability of co-continuous structures during further processing and the influence of compatibilization on the structure formation and stability. Subsequently, two models describing the co-continuous composition range are discussed.

Melt mixing of polycarbonate/multi-wall carbon nanotube composites

—Composites of polycarbonate (PC) with multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) of different concentrations are prepared by diluting a PC based masterbatch containing 15 wt% MWNT using melt mixing in a DACA-Micro Compounder (4 g scale). Electrical resistivity measurements indicate that the percolation of MWNT is reached between 1 and 1.5 wt%. In addition, melt rheology was applied as another sensitive method to detect the percolation of the nanotubes. Atomic Force Microscopy and visual observations of the composite dispersions in a PC-solvent were used to characterise the state of MWNT dispersion. Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis were applied to detect changes in the glass transition temperature of PC as a result of processing and of MWNT interactions with the PC matrix including the state of dispersion. In addition, DMA confirmed the reinforcement effect of the nanotubes. The results show that the nanotube incorporation also influences the processing behaviour. Due to the enhancement in melt viscosity by adding nanotubes and the enhanced shear forces, the molecular weight of the PC in the composites is reduced as compared to PC extruded under the same conditions. This effect leads to changes in the glass transition temperature and modulus which counteracts the effects originating from the nanotube-polymer interaction.

Melt Mixing as Method to Disperse Carbon Nanotubes into Thermoplastic Polymers

Abstract This paper presents melt mixed composites where two ways of introducing nanotubes in polymer matrices were used. In the first case, commercially available masterbatches of nanotube/polymer composites are used as the starting materials that are diluted by the pure polymer in a subsequent melt mixing process (masterbatch dilution method) while in the other case nanotubes are directly incorporated into the polymer matrix. As an example of the masterbatch dilution method, composites of polycarbonate with MWNT are presented which are produced using a Brabender PL‐19 single screw extruder. In this system, electrical percolation was found at about 0.5 wt% MWNT. The nanotube dispersion as observed by TEM investigations is quite homogeneous. The direct incorporation method is discussed in composites of polycarbonate with MWNT and SWNT. For commercial MWNT percolation was found between 1.0 and 3.0 wt% depending on the aspect ratio and purity of the materials. For HiPCO‐SWNT from CNI percolation occurred between 0.25 wt% and 0.5 wt% SWNT. The incorporation of nanotubes significantly changes the stress‐strain behavior of the composites: modulus and stress are enhanced; however, the elongation at break is reduced especially above the percolation concentration.

Liquid sensing: smart polymer/CNT composites

Today polymer/carbon nanotube (CNT) composites can be found in sports equipment, cars, and electronic devices. The growth of old and new markets in this area has been stimulated by our increased understanding of relevant production and processing methods, as well as the considerable price reduction of industrial CNT grades. In particular, CNT based electrically conductive polymer composites (CPCs) offer a range of opportunities because of their unique property profile; they demonstrate low specific gravity in combination with relatively good mechanical properties and processability. The electrical conductivity of polymer/CNT composites results from a continuous filler network that can be affected by various external stimuli, such as temperature shifts, mechanical deformations, and the presence of gases and vapors or solvents. Accordingly, CNT based CPCs represent promising candidates for the design of smart components capable of integrated monitoring. In this article we focus on their use as leakage detectors for organic solvents.

Morphology and properties of blends with different thermoplastic polyurethanes and polyolefines

Unmodified blends of two thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) and six polyolefines were used to study the influence of the component viscosities on the blend morphology and mechanical properties. Blends were produced by melt mixing using a twin screw extruder. Interactions between the blend components could not be detected by DSC, DMA, selective extraction, and SEM micrographs of cryofractures. The variation in tensile strength with blend composition produce a U-shaped curve with the minimum between 40 and 60 wt % of polyolefine. At similar viscosity ratios (ηd/ηm), blends with polyether based TPU (TPU-eth) have a finer morphology than blends with polyester based TPU (TPU-est). This is due to the lower surface free energy of the polyether soft segments compared to the polyester soft segments. Different morphologies also lead to changes in mechanical behavior. Blends with TPU-eth show a lower decrease in tensile strength with blend composition than blends with TPU-est. The viscosity ratio between TPU and polyolefines can be directly correlated to the blend morphology obtained under similar blending conditions. TPU/PE blends show a lower dispersity than TPU/PP blends, due to the higher viscosity ratios of TPU/PE blends. This results in a greater reduction in tensile strength with the disperse phase content.

Influence of processing conditions on the multiphase structure of segmented polyurethane

Abstract The multiphase structure of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers is not only influenced by the chemical structure, but also by the processing conditions. The polymorphism of hard segment (HS) crystallites of a commercial polyurethane was investigated in dependence on the melt processing conditions using WAXS and d.s.c. The observed crystalline morphology types are strongly influenced by the processing temperature. Analysis of the results permits the assignment of HS crystallites of so-called ‘type II’ with high WAXS intensity to those melting above 220°C. Additionally, the tensile strength was determined. These results related to the d.s.c. data allow to establish a processing-structure-property relation.

Comparisons Among Electrical and Rheological Properties of Melt-Mixed Composites Containing Various Carbon Nanostructures

The present investigation compares different carbon-based nanoscaled materials with regard to their effectiveness in producing thermoplastic polymers with antistatic and electrically conductive behavior. The dispersed phases are carbon black (CB) as spherical particles, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) as fiber-like filler, and expanded graphite (EG) as platelet-like filler. Each was incorporated into polycarbonate by small-scale melt mixing. The electrical percolation concentrations were found to be 2 wt% for MWNT, 4 wt% for EG, and 8.75 wt% for CB which parallels the aspect ratios of the fillers. For EG a strong dependence of morphology and electrical resistivity on mixing time was observed, indicating a structural change/destruction during intensive shear mixing. Rheological percolation thresholds were found to be lower than electrical percolation threshold for the MWNT and CB, but similar in the case of EG. The general impact on complex melt viscosity decreases in the order MWNT, CB, EG. For EG, at higher loadings (above 4wt%) the viscosity increase with filler content is delayed as is the decrease in resistivity.

Investigation of liquid sensing mechanism of poly(lactic acid)/multi-walled carbon nanotube composite films

The liquid sensing mechanism of melt-processed poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composite films was investigated for the influence of MWNT loading, solubility parameters of solvents used, solvent transport behaviours, resultant electrical resistance changes, as well as crystallization of the PLA matrix. The diffusion, sorption and permeation coefficients of neat PLA and the composites were estimated, indicating that MWNT network structures block solvent molecules from penetrating into the polymer matrix. Solvent-induced crystallization of the polymer matrix was observed. Isothermally crystallized composites showed reduced resistances, a significant decrease of sorbed solvent content and a reduction of the resulting resistance changes on the solvent contact. In the context with sensing results on MWNT mats, it was proposed that the liquid sensing mechanism of PLA/MWNT composites consists of the overall electrical resistance changes caused by the structural variation of the conductive MWNT network in the polymer matrix and additional interactions between the MWNT and solvent molecules.

Polymer-carbon nanotube composites: Preparation, properties and applications

An introduction to polymer carbon nanotube composites. Part 1 Preparation and processing of polymer carbon nanotube composites: Polyolefin carbon nanotube composites by in-situ polymerization Surface treatment of carbon nanotubes via plasma technology Functionalization of carbon nanotubes for polymer nanocomposites Influence of material and processing parameters on carbon nanotube dispersion in polymer melts High-shear melt processing of polymer carbon nanotube composites Injection moulding of polymer carbon nanotube composites Elastomer carbon nanotube composites Epoxy carbon nanotube composites. Part 2 Properties and characterization of polymer carbon nanotube composites: Quantification of dispersion and distribution of carbon nanotubes in polymer composites using microscopy techniques Influence of thermo-rheological history on electrical and rheological properties of polymer carbon nanotube composites Electromagnetic properties of polymer carbon nanotube composites Mechanical properties of polymer/polymer-grafted carbon nanotube composites Multi-Scale modeling of polymer carbon nanotube composites Raman spectroscopy of polymer carbon nanotube composites Rheology of polymer carbon nanotube composites melts Thermal degradation of polymer carbon nanotube composites Polyolefin carbon nanotube composites Composites of poly(ethylene terephthlate) and carbon nanotubes Carbon nanotubes in multiphase polymer blends Toxicity and regulatory perspectives of carbon nanotubes. Part 3 Applications of polymer carbon nanotube composites: The use of polymer carbon nanotube composites in fibres Biomedical/bioengineering applications of carbon nanotube based nanocomposites Fire retardant applications of polymer carbon nanotube composites: improved barrier effect and synergism Polymer carbon nanotube composites for flame retardant cable applications Polymer carbon nanotube conductive nanocomposites for sensing.