Electrical and mechanical properties of ethylene ethylacrylate-carbon nanotube (EEA-CNT) composites

Abstract

Volume resistivity and tensile properties of ethylene ethylacrylate (EEA)/carbon nanotube (CNT) composites were studied in conjunction with the dispersion of CNT in EEA. The EEA/CNT composites were prepared by a kneading internal mixer. The effect of fumed silica on these properties was also investigated. The volume resistivity of EEA/CNT compounds was found to be less than 10 Ohm.cm at 4 wt% of MWCNT. Interestingly, peroxide crosslinking increased the volume resistivity of EEA/CNT compound dramatically, though no particular chemical change was observed. The extent of change was found to depend on the dispersity of CNT. The finer dispersion resulted in a smaller increase of volume resistivity, from 2-5 Ohm.cm before crosslinking to 8-10 Ohm.cm after crosslinking, whereas poor dispersion changes drastically, from ~10 Ohm.cm before crosslinking to >107 Ohm.cm after crosslinking. This change becomes much less when fumed silica was mixed with EEA and CNT. Both tensile strength and elongation were also improved when fumed silica was mixed together with EEA and CNT.