Premium
Pyridine‐Modified Polymer as a Non‐Covalent Compatibilizer for Multi‐Walled CNT/Poly[ethylene ‐co‐ (methacrylic acid)] Composites Fabricated by Direct Melt Mixing
Author(s) -
Cohen Eyal,
Ophir Amos,
Kenig Shmuel,
Barry Carol,
Mead Joey
Publication year - 2013
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.201200078
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , methacrylic acid , polymer , dispersion (optics) , poly(methacrylic acid) , raman spectroscopy , composite number , mixing (physics) , carbon nanotube , rheology , chemical engineering , copolymer , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics , optics
Multi‐wall CNT/poly[ethylene ‐co‐ (methacrylic acid)] composites were prepared by melt mixing. To improve dispersion and promote polymer/nanotube interactions, a novel non‐covalent compatibilizer is synthesized by reacting the polymer with 4‐(aminomethyl)pyridine. The composite based on the pristine polymer shows electrical and rheological percolation thresholds at nanotube loadings of 1.85 and 1.4 wt%, respectively. When 5 wt% of the pyridine‐modified compatibilizer is added, the corresponding values are reduced to 1.44 and 0.8 wt%, respectively. The electrical resistivity decreases even further as 10 wt% of the novel dispersing agent is used. Microscopy and Raman spectroscopy confirm the improved dispersion and π‐interactions established during melt mixing.