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Electrical conductivity and major mechanical and thermal properties of carbon nanotube‐filled polyurethane foams
Author(s) -
Yan DingXiang,
Dai Kun,
Xiang ZhiDong,
Li ZhongMing,
Ji Xu,
Zhang WeiQin
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.33437
Subject(s) - materials science , polyurethane , carbon nanotube , composite material , percolation threshold , thermal stability , electrical conductor , percolation (cognitive psychology) , dispersion (optics) , dynamic mechanical analysis , electrical resistivity and conductivity , thermal conductivity , modulus , nanocomposite , polymer , chemical engineering , physics , engineering , optics , neuroscience , electrical engineering , biology
The carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/rigid polyurethane (PU) foam composites with a low percolation threshold of ∼ 1.2 wt % were prepared by constructing effective conductive paths with homogeneous dispersion of the CNTs in both the cell walls and struts of the PU foam. The conductive foam presented excellent electrical stability under various temperature fields, highlighting the potential applications for a long‐term use over a wide temperature range from 20 to 180°C. Compression measurements and dynamical mechanical analysis indicated 31% improvement in compression properties and 50% increase in storage modulus at room temperature in the presence of CNTs (2.0 wt %). Additionally, the incorporation of only 0.5 wt % CNTs induced remarkable thermal stabilization of the matrix, with the degradation temperature increasing from 450 to 499°C at the 50% weight loss. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011