Carbon Nanotube Migration in Melt-Compounded PEO/PE Blends and Its Impact on Electrical and Rheological Properties
In this work, the effects of MWCNT concentration and mixing time on the migration of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) within polyethylene oxide (PEO)/polyethylene (PE) blends are studied. Two-step mixing used to pre-localize MWCNTs within the PE phase and subsequently to observe their migratio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/21/3772 |
| _version_ | 1797466983565885440 |
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| author | Calin Constantin Lencar Shashank Ramakrishnan Uttandaraman Sundararaj |
| author_facet | Calin Constantin Lencar Shashank Ramakrishnan Uttandaraman Sundararaj |
| author_sort | Calin Constantin Lencar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this work, the effects of MWCNT concentration and mixing time on the migration of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) within polyethylene oxide (PEO)/polyethylene (PE) blends are studied. Two-step mixing used to pre-localize MWCNTs within the PE phase and subsequently to observe their migration into the thermodynamically favored PEO phase. SEM micrographs show that many MWCNTs migrated into PEO. PEO/PE 40:60 polymer blend nanocomposites with 3 vol% MWCNTs mixed for short durations exhibited exceptional electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) and electrical conductivity (14.1 dB and 22.1 S/m, respectively), with properties dropping significantly at higher mixing times, suggesting the disruption of percolated MWCNT networks within the PE phase. PE grafted with maleic anhydride (PEMA) was introduced as a compatibilizer to arrest the migration of MWCNTs by creating a barrier at the PEO/PE interface. For the compatibilized system, EMI SE and electrical conductivity measurements showed a peak in electrical properties at 5 min of mixing (15.6 dB and 68.7 S/m), higher than those found for uncompatibilized systems. These improvements suggest that compatibilization can be effective at halting MWCNT migration. Although utilizing differences in thermodynamic affinity to draw MWCNTs toward the polymer/polymer interface of polymer blend systems can be an effective way to achieve interfacial localization, an excessively low viscosity of the destination phase may play a major role in reducing the entrapment of MWCNTs at the interface. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:46:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3992cae5e2f24dbc89b80cefe1c49f53 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:46:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-3992cae5e2f24dbc89b80cefe1c49f532023-11-24T06:08:52ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912022-10-011221377210.3390/nano12213772Carbon Nanotube Migration in Melt-Compounded PEO/PE Blends and Its Impact on Electrical and Rheological PropertiesCalin Constantin Lencar0Shashank Ramakrishnan1Uttandaraman Sundararaj2Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CanadaDepartment of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CanadaDepartment of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CanadaIn this work, the effects of MWCNT concentration and mixing time on the migration of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) within polyethylene oxide (PEO)/polyethylene (PE) blends are studied. Two-step mixing used to pre-localize MWCNTs within the PE phase and subsequently to observe their migration into the thermodynamically favored PEO phase. SEM micrographs show that many MWCNTs migrated into PEO. PEO/PE 40:60 polymer blend nanocomposites with 3 vol% MWCNTs mixed for short durations exhibited exceptional electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) and electrical conductivity (14.1 dB and 22.1 S/m, respectively), with properties dropping significantly at higher mixing times, suggesting the disruption of percolated MWCNT networks within the PE phase. PE grafted with maleic anhydride (PEMA) was introduced as a compatibilizer to arrest the migration of MWCNTs by creating a barrier at the PEO/PE interface. For the compatibilized system, EMI SE and electrical conductivity measurements showed a peak in electrical properties at 5 min of mixing (15.6 dB and 68.7 S/m), higher than those found for uncompatibilized systems. These improvements suggest that compatibilization can be effective at halting MWCNT migration. Although utilizing differences in thermodynamic affinity to draw MWCNTs toward the polymer/polymer interface of polymer blend systems can be an effective way to achieve interfacial localization, an excessively low viscosity of the destination phase may play a major role in reducing the entrapment of MWCNTs at the interface.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/21/3772polymer nanocompositeelectrical conductivitymixingpolymer blendselectromagnetic interference shieldingcarbon nanotube |
| spellingShingle | Calin Constantin Lencar Shashank Ramakrishnan Uttandaraman Sundararaj Carbon Nanotube Migration in Melt-Compounded PEO/PE Blends and Its Impact on Electrical and Rheological Properties Nanomaterials polymer nanocomposite electrical conductivity mixing polymer blends electromagnetic interference shielding carbon nanotube |
| title | Carbon Nanotube Migration in Melt-Compounded PEO/PE Blends and Its Impact on Electrical and Rheological Properties |
| title_full | Carbon Nanotube Migration in Melt-Compounded PEO/PE Blends and Its Impact on Electrical and Rheological Properties |
| title_fullStr | Carbon Nanotube Migration in Melt-Compounded PEO/PE Blends and Its Impact on Electrical and Rheological Properties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbon Nanotube Migration in Melt-Compounded PEO/PE Blends and Its Impact on Electrical and Rheological Properties |
| title_short | Carbon Nanotube Migration in Melt-Compounded PEO/PE Blends and Its Impact on Electrical and Rheological Properties |
| title_sort | carbon nanotube migration in melt compounded peo pe blends and its impact on electrical and rheological properties |
| topic | polymer nanocomposite electrical conductivity mixing polymer blends electromagnetic interference shielding carbon nanotube |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/21/3772 |
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