Incorporation of carbon nanotubes into polyethylene by high energy ball milling: Morphology and physical properties

✍ Scribed by Giuliana Gorrasi; Maria Sarno; Antonio Di Bartolomeo; Diana Sannino; Paolo Ciambelli; Vittoria Vittoria

• Book ID: 105338534
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 815 KB
• Volume: 45
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0887-6266
• DOI: 10.1002/polb.21070

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

High energy ball milling (HEBM) was utilized, as an innovative process, to incorporate carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into a polyethylene (PE) matrix avoiding: high temperatures, solvents, ultrasonication, chemical modification of carbon nanotubes. Composites with 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 wt % of carbon nanotubes were prepared. Films were obtained melting the powders in a hot press. Morphology and physical properties (thermal, mechanical, electrical properties) were evaluated. The used processing conditions allowed to obtain a satisfactory level of dispersion of CNTs into the PE matrix with a consequent improvement of the physical properties of the samples. The thermal degradation was significantly delayed already with 1–2% wt of CNTs. The mechanical properties resulted greatly improved for low filler content (up to 3% wt). The electrical measurements showed a percolation threshold in the range 1–3 wt % of CNTs. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 597–606, 2007