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Electrical and EMI shielding characterization of multiwalled carbon nanotube/polystyrene composites
Author(s) -
Sachdev Virendra Kumar,
Bhattacharya Sudeshna,
Patel Kamlesh,
Sharma Surender Kumar,
Mehra Navin Chand,
Tandon Ram Pal
Publication year - 2014
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.40201
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , carbon nanotube , nanocomposite , polystyrene , percolation threshold , scanning electron microscope , electromagnetic shielding , mass fraction , dispersion (optics) , polymer , nanotube , percolation (cognitive psychology) , polymer nanocomposite , electrical resistivity and conductivity , physics , engineering , optics , neuroscience , electrical engineering , biology
The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding mechanism of carbon nanotube (CNT)/polymer nanocomposites synthesized through a unique processing technique has been studied. As CNT/polymer nanocomposites evolve towards device applications, homogenous dispersion of CNTs has become a main objective to realize their full potential. In this work, dispersion of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in polystyrene (PS) powder via dry state tumble mixing has been carried out. This involves the coating of the PS particles with the MWCNTs. Pellets were prepared by hot compression of resulted mixture. Conductivity behavior has shown that an extremely small mass fraction of 0.05 wt % MWCNTs in PS is good enough for percolation threshold. A detailed study of EMI shielding behavior of these composites is reported in addition to physical phenomena involved. The shielding effectiveness achieved is higher compared to solution mixing technique used by others. Decrease in hardness with increase in MWCNT content is little. Scanning electron microscope studies of these nanocomposites revealed a web/mesh like structure consisting of MWCNTs. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131 , 40201.