Premium
Carbon nanotube‐filled ethylene/vinylacetate copolymers: from in situ catalyzed polymerization to high‐performance electro‐conductive nanocomposites
Author(s) -
Gorrasi Giuliana,
Bredeau Stéphane,
Candia Chiara Di,
Patimo Giovanni,
Pasquale Salvatore De,
Dubois Philippe
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.2064
Subject(s) - materials science , nanocomposite , carbon nanotube , polyethylene , copolymer , masterbatch , in situ polymerization , polymer , ethylene , polymerization , ethylene vinyl acetate , coating , chemical engineering , nanotube , composite material , catalysis , organic chemistry , chemistry , engineering
Preparation and analysis of morphology, mechanical, and electrical properties of nanocomposites based on ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer and commercial multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was achieved. The used techniques for obtaining nanocomposites were the conventional melt‐mixing and the in situ ethylene polymerization/coating reaction, as catalyzed directly from CNT surface, with different polyethylene content (i.e. 55.0% and 66.6%). Nanocomposites were also prepared using crude CNTs. The incorporation in the molten state of such polyethylene surface‐coated CNTs, used as “masterbatch,” in EVA was demonstrated a good strategy for allowing the complete destructuring of the native bundle‐like aggregates, leading to the preparation of polymer nanocomposites with largely improved properties, even at very low nanofiller content. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.