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Cover Image, Volume 134, Issue 28
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.45157
Subject(s) - nanocomposite , materials science , cover (algebra) , composite material , carbon nanotube , volume (thermodynamics) , thermal conductivity , polymer , polymer science , nanotechnology , mechanical engineering , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics
This SEM micrograph depicts the localization and partial alignment of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) along the cell walls within a HDPE/MWCNT nanocomposite foam, discussed by Siu Ning Leung and colleagues. During physical foaming, the growth of nucleated bubbles tightly pushed the MWCNT against the cell walls. Moreover, the foaming‐induced biaxial stress field generated around the expanding cells, leading to local flow and stretching of polymer melt along the cell walls. While the voids helped to significantly suppress the nanocomposite's thermal conductivity, the enhanced three‐dimensional MWCNT network promoted its electrical conductivity. Overall, the fabricated nanocomposite foam's thermoelectric performance was 600 times higher than the solid nanocomposite. (DOI: 10.1002/app.45073 )