Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T20:04:18.299Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Optimization of the Electrical Conductivity of ABS Nanocomposites filled with Carbon Black and Carbon Nanotubes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

Shantanu Talapatra
Affiliation:
[email protected], Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, 771 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0245, United States
Rosario A. Gerhardt
Affiliation:
[email protected], Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, 771 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0245, United States
Get access

Abstract

Poly(acrylonitrile-co-butadiene-co-styrene) (ABS) is a thermoplastic polymer that is used in numerous structural applications as a result of its excellent mechanical properties. For those applications where good electrical conductivity is also desired, carbon black is often used as the filler of choice. Most reports in the literature indicate that at least 8 wt% carbon black filler is needed in order to achieve percolation. Our group recently reported that by manual mixing of ABS pellets and carbon black to create a segregated microstructure, percolation was achieved at an unprecedented low filler fraction of less than 0.01 wt% carbon black, a value which is comparable to or even better than that obtained using single wall carbon nanotubes as the filler. While the ABS/CB composites had excellent electrical performance, with a conductivity as high as 10-1 S/m, their mechanical strength was compromised.

In this paper we report on new experiments designed to maintain high electrical conductivity while improving on the mechanical behavior of percolating ABS/CB nanocomposites. The experiments were aimed at controlling the processing parameters such as temperature, pressure and time during hot pressing of the mechanically mixed precursor materials. Using data obtained at the various temperature-pressure combinations used, it will be shown that similar volume percentages of carbon black and carbon nanotubes can be used to obtain equivalent conductivities, suitable for EMI shielding, while still maintaining good mechanical properties.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Tjong, S C, Jiang, W. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.. 73 (14), 29852991 (1999).Google Scholar
2. Yonezawa, M. Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho, Japanese Patent, JP 08039734 (1996).Google Scholar
3. Myagawa, K, Shimizu, M, Inoe, M. Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho, Japanese Patent, JP 06305084 (1994).Google Scholar
4. Ma, C C, Hu, A, Chen, D K. Polym. Compos. 1, 9399 (1993).Google Scholar
5. Lu, G, Li, X, Jiang, H, Mao, X J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 62, 21932199 (1996).10.1002/(SICI)1097-4628(19961226)62:13<2193::AID-APP2>3.0.CO;2-E3.0.CO;2-E>Google Scholar
6. Tzeng, S, Chang, F. Material Science and Engineering A. 302 (2), 258267 (2001)Google Scholar
7. Balberg, I. Carbon 40 (2), 139143 (2002).10.1016/S0008-6223(01)00164-6Google Scholar
8. Lebovka, N, Lisunova, M, Mamunya, Ye P, Vygornitskii, N J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 39, 22642271 (2006).Google Scholar
9. Gupta, S, Ou, R, Gerhardt, R A. Journal Of Electronic Materials 35 (2), 224229 (2006).10.1007/BF02692439Google Scholar
10. Ou, R, Gupta, S, Parker, C, Gerhardt, R A. J. Phys. Chem. B. 110 (45) 2236222370 (2006)Google Scholar
11. Yang, S, Castilleja, J R, Barrera, E V, and Lozano, K, Pol. Degrad. and Stab. 83, 383388 (2004)10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2003.08.002Google Scholar
12. Schaffer, J, Saxena, A, Antolovich, S, Sanders, T H, and Warner, S, The Science and Design of Engineering Materials, 2nd ed. (McGraw-Hill 2000)Google Scholar
13. Andrews, R, Jacque, D, Minot, M, Rantell, T. Macromol. Mater. Eng. 287, 395403 (2002).Google Scholar
14. Liu, X, Lee, C, Han, S, Li, C, Zhou, C. Molecular Nanoelectronics Edited by Reed, M and Lee, T (American Scientific Publishers 2003), pp. 120 Google Scholar
15. Capozzi, C J, Gerhardt, R A. MRS Symposium Fall 2006 Paper FF12.19 Google Scholar