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Composites of Ultrahigh‐Molecular‐Weight Polyethylene with Graphene Sheets and/or MWCNTs with Segregated Network Structure: Preparation and Properties
Author(s) -
Ren PengGang,
Di YingYing,
Zhang Qian,
Li Lan,
Pang Huan,
Li ZhongMing
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
macromolecular materials and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1439-2054
pISSN - 1438-7492
DOI - 10.1002/mame.201100229
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , percolation threshold , ultra high molecular weight polyethylene , graphene , polyethylene , filler (materials) , percolation (cognitive psychology) , conductivity , composite number , electrical resistivity and conductivity , nanotechnology , chemistry , neuroscience , electrical engineering , biology , engineering
UHMWPE/MWCNT and UHMWPE/GNS composites with a segregated network are prepared. TEM and SEM images indicate that the conducting fillers are distributed on the UHMWPE surface and form a segregated conducting network. The percolation threshold of UHMWPE/GNS composites is ≈0.25 wt% and that of UHMWPE/MWCNT composites is 0.20 wt%. The electrical conductivity of UHMWPE/GNS composites is almost four orders of magnitude lower than that of the UHMWPE/MWCNT composites. For equivalent concentrations of GNS and MWCNT, the composites with hybrid fillers exhibit a lower percolation threshold and a higher conductivity than that with GNS or MWCNT alone. Due to the high strength of the fillers and the segregated network structure, the mechanical properties of the composites first increase and then decrease with increasing filler content.