Issue 39, 2011

Physical properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride) composites with polymer functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes using nitrene chemistry

Abstract

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) (f-MWNT) are prepared using nitrene chemistry and atom transfer radical polymerization. The >C[double bond, length as m-dash]O groups in the f-MWNT interact with the >CF2 groups of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) to achieve a compatible blend. An increase of the glass transition temperature (Tg), relaxation temperatures of the crystal-amorphous interface and crystalline phases are observed in the composites over pristine PVDF. The thermal stability of the composites increases with increasing f-MWNT concentration. The storage modulus increases significantly with increasing f-MWNT concentration and the highest increase of 120% over PVDF is observed for 1 wt% f-MWNT at 50 °C. An increase in tensile strength with a decrease of the strain at break, and increase of Young's modulus and toughness indicate the formation of a very hard and ductile composite material. The electrical conductivity is high (1 × 10−4 S cm−1, for 5% f-MWNT) and shows a very low percolation threshold (0.36% w/w at 30 °C). Analysis of the conductivity data yields the magnitude of percolation exponent 2.1, suggesting three-dimensional percolation is a suitable model for the conduction of the composites. The temperature variation of the conductivity suggests that the conduction might occur through a temperature fluctuation induced tunnelling mechanism. The IV characteristic curves indicate the semiconducting nature of the composites.

Graphical abstract: Physical properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride) composites with polymer functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes using nitrene chemistry

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Jun 2011
Accepted
26 Jul 2011
First published
06 Sep 2011

J. Mater. Chem., 2011,21, 15752-15763

Physical properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride) composites with polymer functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes using nitrene chemistry

A. Mandal and A. K. Nandi, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 15752 DOI: 10.1039/C1JM12926K

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