Shilin Huang

Electrical properties and morphology of carbon black filled PP/EPDM blends: effect of selective distribution of fillers induced by dynamic vulcanization

The roles of dynamic vulcanization process in the electrical properties, morphology, and rheology of carbon black (CB)-filled polypropylene (PP)/ethylene–propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) blends have been investigated. With the addition of CB, the uncross-linked (TPE) and dynamically vulcanized (TPV) composites showed a notable difference in the electrical properties, which is mainly caused by different distributions of CB particles resulting from the dynamic vulcanization process. Particularly, it was found that the CB particles in the TPE composites tended to distribute in EPDM phase, whereas the CB particles in the TPV composites were almost located in the PP matrix. The rheological behavior of the TPE and TPV composites was significantly changed with the incorporation of CB particles. Due to the selective distribution caused by the dynamic vulcanization process, the formation of the conductive network for the TPE composites is caused by the double percolation effect, while for the TPV composite, the formation of the conductive network is caused by the excluded volume effect.

Factors influencing the resistivity–temperature behavior of carbon black filled isotactic polypropylene/high density polyethylene composites

The relationship between morphology and resistivity–temperature behavior of carbon black (CB) filled isotactic polypropylene/high density polyethylene (iPP/HDPE) composites was investigated. The positive temperature coefficient intensity for all composites studied in this paper was lower than one and the negative temperature coefficient (NTC) effect was obvious. The factors influencing resistivity–temperature behavior include the CB contents, types of the polymer matrices and their composition, which determine the phase morphology and thus the conductive network. The types of iPP and HDPE influenced the NTC effect, while the morphology of the composites mainly influenced the initial volume resistivity of the composites.

Study of the morphology and temperature-resistivity effect of injection-molded iPP/HDPE/CB composites

The relationship between morphology and temperature-resistivity effect of injection-molded isotactic polypropylene/high density polyethylene/carbon black (iPP/HDPE/CB) composites with special orientation structure is investigated in detail. The morphological variation induced by melting, disorientation, crystallization and movement of CB particles is responsible for the change of electrical conductivity of the iPP/HDPE/CB composites during the heating and cooling. The room temperature volume resistivity of the composites reduces markedly after a round of heating and cooling because the network is improved through morphological changes and movement of particles during annealing. The continuity of HDPE/CB phase and the effective concentration of the CB particles in HDPE simultaneously determine the temperature-resistivity effects of the composites. Samples with iPP/HDPE mass ratio of 50/50 achieve a better balance of the two factors, which results in more stable conductive properties varying with temperature.

Isothermal-Treatment-Induced Network Formation of Carbon Black in Isotactic Polypropylene/Carbon Black Composites

The effect of isothermal treatment on network formation of nanoscale dispersed carbon black (CB) particles in mild-compounded isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/CB composite is investigated. Network formation of CB took place in a quiescent melt without any flow and expansion since the isothermal treatment of the composite was carried out under high pressure conditions. TEM was used to inspect the network formation of the well-dispersed CB. Resistivity temperature and dynamic rheological behaviors of samples before and after isothermal treatment were examined to investigate the relationship between fillers’ network formation and electrical conductivity enhancement.

Enhancing the conductivity of isotactic polypropylene/polyethylene/carbon black composites by oscillatory shear

The influence of oscillatory shear on the conductivity of the isotactic polypropylene/polyethylene/carbon black composites is studied. It is found that the oscillatory shear under high strain amplitude can enhance the conductivity of the ternary composites with a HDPE/CB concentration in the percolation region. This is related to the fact that the high-strain oscillatory shear can improve the continuity of the conductive HDPE/CB phase in the composites. This finding has not been previously reported, and it may be used in industry to improve the conductivity of the ternary conductive composites with a low filler loading.

Effect of the Extrusion Process on the Morphology and Electrical Conductivity of Injection-Moulded Polypropylene/HDPE/Carbon Black Composites

In this work, isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites filled with carbon black (CB) were prepared by the mild compounding method and the common melt-mixing method. The selective distribution of CB particles in the immiscible iPP/PE blends was determined by the interfacial tensions, but the morphologies of the polyblends strongly depended on the compounding method. The mild compounding method strongly affected PE phases to form triple phase morphology in the composites, which inhibited effective conductivity network formation in the low CB content range. A skin-core structure of the iPP/HDPE/CB composite, prepared by the common melt-mixing process, was present when an effective conductivity network was obtained, and a co-continuous structure of the iPP/HDPE matrix is not necessary.