Polyvinylchloride intercalated poly(ethylene glycol)-modified-multi-walled carbon nanotube buckypaper composites via resin-infiltration technique
Journal of Plastic Film & Sheeting
Published online on June 11, 2015
Abstract
In this paper, synthesis and characterization of polymer intercalated carbon nanotube buckypaper for improved structural, morphological, electrical, and thermal properties have been discussed. Resin-infiltration technique was opted for the preparation of polyvinylchloride intercalated poly(ethylene glycol) -modified-multi-walled carbon nanotube buckypaper. The effect of increasing purified nanotube (purified multi-walled carbon nanotube) and functional nanotube (functional multi-walled carbon nanotube) content on the properties of BP-polyvinylchloride/poly(ethylene glycol)/purified multi-walled carbon nanotube and BP-polyvinylchloride/poly(ethylene glycol)/functional multi-walled carbon nanotube buckypaper composites was investigated, while using same amount of polymer. Results indicated better interaction between polyvinylchloride and functional multi-walled carbon nanotube due to hydrogen bonding relative to polyvinylchloride and purified multi-walled carbon nanotube where no chemical link was present between the two. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results confirmed the modification of functional multi-walled carbon nanotube, and formation of buckypaper composite. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed better network formation in BP-polyvinylchloride/poly(ethylene glycol)/functional multi-walled carbon nanotube samples and intercalation of polymer can be seen forming polymer-coated functional multi-walled carbon nanotube network. Thermal stability was found to be improved by the increment of multi-walled carbon nanotube and the difference between the thermal stability of functional multi-walled carbon nanotube and purified multi-walled carbon nanotube buckypaper was also prominent. The maximum degradation temperature (Tmax) of functional composite BP-polyvinylchloride/poly(ethylene glycol)/functional multi-walled carbon nanotube 0.05 (469℃) was higher relative to non-functional BP-polyvinylchloride/poly(ethylene glycol)/purified multi-walled carbon nanotube 0.05 (461℃). The glass transition temperature of BP-polyvinylchloride/poly(ethylene glycol)/functional multi-walled carbon nanotube 0.05 was found as 249℃, while BP-polyvinylchloride/poly(ethylene glycol)/functional multi-walled carbon nanotube 0.05 depicted higher Tg of 271℃. Amorphous character of polymer/carbon nanotube -buckypaper composite showed a trend towards crystallinity according to X-ray diffraction results. Purified multi-walled carbon nanotube-based buckypaper presented conductivity up to 1.91 x 10–1 S cm–1, while BP-polyvinylchloride/poly(ethylene glycol)/functional multi-walled carbon nanotube 0.01–0.08 had increased conductivity up to 9.88 x 10–1 S cm–1.