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Effect of filler dispersion on the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of carbon/polypropylene composites
Author(s) -
Király Anett,
Ronkay Ferenc
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.22530
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , graphite , carbon black , polypropylene , dispersion (optics) , flexural strength , carbon nanotube , filler (materials) , flexural modulus , electrical resistivity and conductivity , conductivity , carbon fibers , modulus , optical microscope , scanning electron microscope , composite number , natural rubber , chemistry , physics , electrical engineering , optics , engineering
Conducting carbon/polypropylene composites containing a mixed filler of crystalline natural graphite powder, carbon black, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes have been prepared. The effect of the filler dispersion on the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties has been studied. Keeping the graphite content constant and increasing the ratio of carbon black to nanotubes, the conductivity and the flexural modulus increased linearly at different graphite contents. Graphite aggregates on the cross sections were analyzed by optical microscopy to characterize the dispersion of graphite. The results of the optical microscopy studies showed that the dispersion of graphite is affected by the composition and amount of the nanofiller system. Based on the observations simplified morphological models were set up, that allowed to explain the change in the electrical and mechanical properties of the composites of different compositions. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:1195–1203, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers