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A preliminary investigation of conductive immiscible polymer blends as sensor materials
Author(s) -
Srivastava S.,
Tchoudakov R.,
Narkis M.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.11281
Subject(s) - materials science , polypropylene , polymer blend , carbon black , electrical conductor , polymer , composite material , percolation threshold , percolation (cognitive psychology) , capillary action , tacticity , conductivity , protein filament , electrical resistivity and conductivity , chemical engineering , polymerization , copolymer , natural rubber , chemistry , engineering , neuroscience , electrical engineering , biology
This paper discusses the feasibility of the application of conductive immiscible polymer blends as sensor materials for detection of organic liquid solvents. Immiscible polymer blends of polypropylene (PP), nylon 6 (Ny6) and carbon black (CB) have been used to produce a series of electrically conductive filaments by a capillary rheometer process. In these immiscible blends, PP serves as a semi‐crystalline matrix and Ny6 as the semi‐crystalline dispersed phase. The enhancement of conductivity in these blends is due to the attraction of CB to Ny6 and localization of CB particles at the PP/Ny6 interface, giving rise to conductive networks. The dc electrical resistivity of extruded filaments, produced at different shear levels, is found to be sensitive to various organic liquid solvents. The shear rate at which the filaments are produced has an important effect on the PP/Ny6/CB filament's sensitivity. The compositions studied were close to the double‐percolation structure believed to perform best as sensor materials. In addition, it seems that the PP/Ny6 interface plays a major role in the sensing process. Liquid contact/drying cycling of the filaments indicates stabilization of the sensitivity change making the sensing process reversible.