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Carbon nanotube localization at interface in cocontinuous blends of polyethylene and polycarbonate
Author(s) -
Nishikawa Riho,
Tamaki Kakeharu,
Notoya Osamu,
Yamaguchi Masayuki
Publication year - 2020
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.48676
Subject(s) - polycarbonate , materials science , carbon nanotube , composite material , nanocomposite , polyethylene , phase (matter) , polymer , polymer blend , electrical conductor , ultra high molecular weight polyethylene , diffusion , copolymer , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , thermodynamics
A new technique to show good electroconductivity was proposed using carbon nanotube (CNT) localization in cocontinuous immiscible polymer blends comprising ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and polycarbonate (PC). When UHMWPE was added to PC/CNT in the molten state in an internal mixer, CNTs started moving to the UHMWPE phase. However, CNTs require a long time to diffuse into the UHMWPE phase owing to a low diffusion constant. Consequently, they remain at the interface between PC and UHMWPE. When the blends have cocontinuous structure, the localized CNTs at the phase boundary act as a conductive path, leading to a good electroconductivity. Although a similar morphology is obtained by adjusting the balance of interfacial tensions among polymers and CNT, it is difficult to find a system showing appropriate interfacial tensions. As the present method is applicable to various polymer blends, it will be an important technique to prepare a conductive nanocomposite. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 137 , 48676.