Fabrication and characterization of homogeneous composites of polypropylene and multiwalled carbon nanotubes

The polypropylene‐grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes (PP‐MWCNTs) were produced from the reaction of PP containing the hydroxyl groups and MWCNTs having 2‐bromoisobutyryl groups. The PP‐MWCNTs had a significantly rougher surface than the original MWCNTs. PP‐MWCNTs had PP layers of thickness 10–15 nm on the outer walls of the MWCNTs. PP/PP‐MWCNT composites and PP/MWCNT composites were prepared by solution mixing in o ‐xylene. Unlike PP/MWCNT composites, PP‐MWCNTs were homogeneously dispersed in the PP matrix. As a consequence, the thermal stability and conductivity of PP/PP‐MWCNT composites were dramatically improved even if only 1 wt % of PP‐MWNTs was added to the PP matrix. The good miscibility of PP and PP‐MWCNTs plays a critical role in the formation of the homogeneous composites and leads the high thermal stability and conductivity. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012