Electrical and mechanical properties of acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene/multiwall carbon nanotube nanocomposites prepared by melt‐blending

The electrical properties in polymer/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposites are governed not only by the degree of dispersion but also to a greater extent on the aspect ratio of the CNTs in the final composites. Melt‐mixing of polymer and CNTs at high shear rate usually breaks the CNTS that lowers the aspect ratio of the nanotubes. Thus, homogeneous dispersion of CNTs while retaining the aspect ratio is a major challenge in melt‐mixing. Here, we demonstrate a novel method that involves melt‐blending of acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS) and in situ polymerized polystyrene (PS)/multiwalled CNT (MWCNT) nanocomposites, to prepare electrically conducting ABS/MWCNT nanocomposites with very low CNT loading than reported. The rationale behind choosing PS/MWCNT as blending component was that ABS is reported to form miscible blend with the PS. Thus, (80/20 w/w) ABS/(PS/MWCNT) nanocomposites obtained by melt‐blending showed electrical conductivity value ≈1.27 × 10^?6 S cm^?1 at MWCNT loading close to 0.64 wt %, which is quite lower than previously reported value for ABS/MWCNT system prepared via solution blending. Scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated the formation of homogenous and miscible blend of ABS and PS. The high temperature (100°C) storage modulus of ABS (1298 MPa) in the nanocomposites was increased to 1696 MPa in presence of 0.64 wt % of the MWCNT. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Enhancement of dispersion of carbon nanotube and physical properties of poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile)/multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposite via surface initiated ATRP

Dispersion behavior of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), rheological and mechanical properties of various MWCNT/poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile) (SAN) nanocomposites were investigated. MWCNT/SAN nanocomposites were prepared by three different methods; MWCNT/SAN melt blending, MWCNT/SAN in situ atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and functionalized‐MWCNT/SAN in situ ATRP. Formation of SAN onto the surface of MWCNT and the molecular weight of grafted‐SAN were confirmed by fourier transform infrared spectra, ¹H‐NMR and ¹³C‐NMR. Crossover frequency of storage and loss modulus from rheological measurement and dynamic mechanical analysis showed that functionalized MWCNT/SAN in situ ATRP nanocomposite showed more uniform dispersion of MWCNT. Improved mechanical and electrical properties were observed for functionalized MWCNT/SAN in situ ATRP nanocomposite. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Mechanical and thermal properties of polyphenylene sulfide/multiwalled carbon nanotube composites

Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites were prepared using a melt‐blending procedure combining twin‐screw extrusion with centrifugal premixing. A homogeneous dispersion of MWCNTs throughout the matrix was revealed by scanning electron microscopy for the nanocomposites with MWCNT contents ranging from 0.5 to 8.0 wt %. The mechanical properties of PPS were markedly enhanced by the incorporation of MWCNTs. Halpin‐Tsai equations, modified with an efficiency factor, were used to model the elastic properties of the nanocomposites. The calculated modulus showed good agreement with the experimental data. The presence of the MWCNTs exhibited both promotion and retardation effects on the crystallization of PPS. The competition between these two effects results in an unusual change of the degree of crystallinity with increasing MWCNT content. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Mechanical and electrical multifunctional poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate)—multiwall carbon nanotube nanocomposites

In this work, nanocomposites of poly(hydroxybutyrate‐co‐hydroxyvalerate) PHBV and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) were prepared by melt blending. Mechanical, thermal, morphological, and electrical properties of the prepared PHBV/MWNT nanocomposites were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) results showed MWNT effectively enhanced the crystallization and nucleation of PHBV. Dynamic thermo‐mechanical and static uniaxial mechanical tensile and compressive properties were increased by the addition of MWNT. MWNT observed in the nanocomposites using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed dimensions similar to separated nanotubes inferring a good dispersion. The presence of nanotubes in close vicinity with each other formed an interconnecting network that led to the formation of electrically conductive nanocomposites. The electrical resistance of the nanocomposites was reduced with the addition of MWNT. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Multiwalled carbon nanotube/montmorillonite hybrid filled ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties,thermal stability,and dielectric response

Homogeneous multiwalled carbon nanotube/montmorillonite hybrid filler (HMM) dispersion was prepared by co‐ultrasonication and was subsequently used to prepare ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate (EVA) nanocomposites by solution blending method. XRD and TEM analysis of HMM confirm significant interaction between the montmorillonite (MMT) layers and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in line with previous reports. Analysis of the nanocomposites shows the constituent fillers to be homogeneously dispersed in EVA matrix. Mechanical properties of neat EVA are remarkably improved with HMM content up to 3 wt% followed by reversion. Maximum improvement observed in tensile strength, elongation at break, and toughness are 424%, 109%, and 1122%, respectively. Results show maximum thermal stability at 4 wt% and best dielectric response at 1 wt% HMM content. Exceptional mechanical and dielectric properties of EVA nanocomposites attained may be attributed to homogeneous dispersion of fillers and improved polymer–filler interaction. Comparison shows excellent synergy between MWCNT and MMT towards mechanical reinforcement of EVA. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:1155–1165, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Properties of microinjection molding of polymer multiwalled carbon nanotube conducting composites

The effects of processing conditions on the microstructure and properties of polypropylene/multiwalled carbon nanotube (PP/MWCNT) and polycarbonate/multiwalled carbon nanotube (PC/MWCNT) composites were studied. Samples of various MWCNT loadings were prepared by diluting commercial masterbatches. Different processing conditions were then used to systematically change the degree of nanotube alignment, from random to highly aligned. The crystallinity of the PP/MWCNT nanocomposites was found to go through a maximum as a function of nanotube content while the overall rate of crystallization increased. For the highly sheared microinjected PP/MWCNT samples well oriented crystals were formed. Electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites was improved by the presence of the crystalline structure; however, the high degree of nanotube alignment in the microparts resulted in a significant increase in the electrical percolation threshold. The PP nanocomposites exhibited mechanical properties significantly enhanced by nanotube loading; this effect was small in the case of the PC nanocomposites. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Isothermal crystallization behavior of polyamide 6,6/multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites

The good dispersion of functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube (f‐MWCNT) in polyamide 6,6 (PA 6,6) matrix was prepared by solution mixing techniques. The crystalline structure and crystallization behaviors of PA 6,6 and PA 6,6/f‐MWCNT nanocomposites were studied by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and polarized optical microscopy (POM) analysis. DSC isothermal results revealed that the overall isothermal crystallization rates of PA 6,6 increased as well as the activation energy of PA 6,6 extensively decreased by adding f‐MWCNT into PA 6,6, suggesting that the addition of f‐MWCNT probably induces the heterogeneous nucleation. The effect of f‐MWCNT on the chain arrangement for the crystallization of PA 6,6/f‐MWCNT nanocomposites was also discussed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Multiwall‐carbon‐nanotube‐reinforced poly(ethylene terephthalate) nanocomposites by melt compounding

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) nanocomposites reinforced with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared through melt compounding in a twin‐screw extruder. The presence of MWCNTs, which acted as good nucleating agents, enhanced the crystallization of PET through heterogeneous nucleation. The incorporation of a small quantity of MWCNTs improved the thermal stability of the PET/MWCNT nanocomposites. The mechanical properties of the PET/MWCNT nanocomposites increased with even a small quantity of MWCNTs. There was a significant dependence of the rheological properties of the PET/MWCNT nanocomposites on the MWCNT content. The MWCNT loading increased the shear‐thinning nature of the polymer‐nanocomposite melt. The storage modulus and loss modulus of the PET/MWCNT nanocomposites increased with increasing frequency, and this increment effect was more pronounced at lower frequencies. At higher MWCNT contents, the dominant nanotube–nanotube interactions led to the formation of interconnected or networklike structures of MWCNTs in the PET/MWCNT nanocomposites. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 1450–1457, 2007     

Improved dielectric performance of polypropylene/multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites by solid‐phase orientation

By means of a die‐drawing technique in the rubbery state, the effect of the orientation of the microstructure on the dielectric properties of polypropylene (PP)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites was examined in this study. The viscoelastic behavior of the PP/MWCNT nanocomposites with MWCNT weight loadings ranging from 0.25 to 5 wt % and the dielectric performance of the stretched PP/MWCNT nanocomposites at different drawing speeds and drawing ratios were studied to obtain insight into the influences of the dispersion and orientation state of the MWCNTs and matrix molecular chains. A viscosity decrease (ca. 30%) of the PP/MWCNT‐0.25 wt % (weight loading) melt was obviously due to the free volume effect. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction were adopted to detect the orientation structure and the variation of crystal morphology of the PP/MWCNTs. Melting plateau regions, which indicated the mixed crystallization morphology for the stretched samples, were found in the DSC patterns instead of a single‐peak for the unstretched samples. We found that the uniaxial stretching process broke the conductive MWCNT networks and consequently increased the orientation of MWCNTs and molecular chains along the tensile force direction; this led to an improvement in the dielectric performance. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 42893.     

Effects of thermal imidization on mechanical properties of poly(amide‐co‐imide)/multiwalled carbon nanotube composite films

In this study, experimental and numerical studies were performed to investigate the relationship among the functionalization method, weight fraction of MWCNTs, thermal imidization cycle, and mechanical properties of various PAI/MWCNT composite films. Poly(amide‐co‐imide)/multiwalled carbon nanotube composite films were prepared by solution mixing and film casting. The effects of chemical functionalization and weight fraction of multiwalled carbon nanotubes on thermal imidization and mechanical properties were investigated through experimental and numerical studies. The time needed to achieve sufficient thermal imidization was reduced with increasing multiwalled carbon nanotube content when compared with that of a pure poly(amide‐co‐imide) film because multiwalled carbon nanotubes have a higher thermal conductivity than pure poly(amide‐co‐imide) resin. Mechanical properties of pure poly(amide‐co‐imide) and poly(amide‐co‐imide)/multiwalled carbon nanotube composite films were increased with increasing imidization time and were improved significantly in the case of the composite film filled with hydrogen peroxide treated multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Both the tensile strength and strain to failure of the multiwalled carbon nanotube filled poly(amide‐co‐imide) film were increased substantially because multiwalled carbon nanotube dispersion was improved and covalent bonding was formed between multiwalled carbon nanotubes and poly(amide‐co‐imide) molecules. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Effect of processing parameters on the surface resistivity of ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer/multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites

In this study, ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer was melt‐mixed with multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT). To realize full‐scale application of MWCNT to the polymer industries, the effect of melt‐processing parameters on the surface resistivity in the polymer/MWCNT nanocomposites should be well‐understood. The effect of mixing time, rotor speed, compression molding time, and temperature on the surface resistivity was investigated. Increasing the rotor speed and longer mixing time lead to an improvement of dispersion of MWCNT in polymer matrix, resulting in a decrease of surface resistivity. The surface resistivity of EVA/MWCNT nanocomposites is also sensitive to the press temperature and time. However, the dominant processing parameters to affect surface resistivity depend on the amount of MWCNT. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Functionalization of carbon nanotubes with (3‐glycidyloxypropyl)‐trimethoxysilane: Effect of wrapping on epoxy matrix nanocomposites

In this work, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), after previous oxidation, are functionalized with excess (3‐glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GLYMO) and used as reinforcement in epoxy matrix nanocomposites. Infrared, Raman, and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopies confirm the silanization of the MWCNT, while transmission electron microscopy images show that oxidized nanotubes presented less entanglement than pristine and silanized MWCNT. Thickening of the nanotubes is also observed after silanization, suggesting that the MWCNT are wrapped by siloxane chains. Field‐emission scanning electron microscopy reveals that oxidized nanotubes are better dispersed in the matrix, providing nanocomposites with better mechanical properties than those reinforced with pristine and silanized MWCNT. On the other hand, the glass transition temperature of the nanocomposite with 0.05 wt % MWCNT‐GLYMO increased by 14 °C compared to the neat epoxy resin, suggesting a strong matrix–nanotube adhesion. The functionalization of nanotubes using an excess amount of silane can thus favor the formation of an organosiloxane coating on the MWCNT, preventing its dispersion and contributing to poor mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 44245.     

Ethylene‐vinyl acetate copolymer/multiwalled carbon nanotube/organoclay nanocomposites

Ethylene‐vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) was melt‐mixed with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and organoclays, and the effects of simultaneous use of organoclays and MWCNTs on the surface resistivity and tensile properties of EVA nanocomposites were investigated. The surface resistivity of EVA/MWCNT nanocomposite with 1 phr of MWCNT is out of our measurement range (above 10¹² Ω/square). With increasing content of organoclay from 0 to 3 phr, the surface resistivity of the EVA/MWCNT/organoclay nanocomposites with 1 phr MWCNT remains out of our measurement range. However, the surface resistivity of the nanocomposite decreases to 10⁶ Ω/square with addition of 5 phr organoclay. The tensile properties of EVA/MWCNT/organoclay nanocomposites with 1 phr MWCNT and 5 phr organocaly are similar to those of EVA/MWCNT nanocomposites with 5 phr MWCNT except tensile modulus. POLYM. COMPOS. 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Thermal and mechanical properties of homogeneous ternary nanocomposites of regioregular poly(3‐hexylthiophene)‐wrapped multiwalled carbon nanotube dispersed in thermoplastic polyurethane: Dynamic‐ and thermomechanical analysis

An interesting correlation between initial loading and nature of wrapping of regioregular poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (rrP3HT) on multiwalled carbon nanotube and their combined effect on dynamic‐ and thermomechanical properties in ternary system (thermoplastic polyurethane as matrix) is highlighted. Wrapping of rrP3HT on carbon nanotube (CNT) makes the hexyl side chains thermally nonequivalent and composites more stable. Dynamic‐ and thermomechanical analysis ascertained the miscibility (single T_g = ?40°C), large mechanical reinforcement, and improved storage modulus of nanocomposites in the presence of CNT compared to its blends. Two breaks at ～ ?100 and ～ ?40°C for TPU‐P3HT composites (PHs) and TPU‐P3HT‐MWCNT composites (PHCs) in the loss modulus vs. temperature plot indicates two different types of transitions in P3HT chains. Dimensional stability by expansion probe technique measures low coefficient of thermal expansion of PHCs compared to its blends. Softening property by penetration probe technique suggests that 2.5 wt % loading of P3HT exhibits lowest degree of penetration compared to other nanocomposites. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Sulfonated poly(sulfone‐pyridine‐amide)/sulfonated polystyrene/multiwalled carbon nanotube‐based fuel cell membranes

In this study, aromatic sulfonated poly(sulfone‐pyridine‐amide) (S‐PSPA) has been prepared via polycondensation of sulfonated monomer 1‐(4‐thiocarbamoylaminophenyl‐sulfonylphenyl)thiourea and 2,6‐pyridinedicarboxylic acid at high temperature. Mechanically robust and thermally stable hybrid membranes were prepared using non‐functional and functional multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) i.e., S‐PS/S‐PSPA/MWCNT‐NF and S‐PS/S‐PSPA/MWCNT via solution blending. Field emission scanning electron microscopy exhibited porous membrane structure for 0.1–0.5 wt% nanotube loading, whereas well‐aligned functional MWCNT were observed in 1 wt% loaded sample. Increasing the functional nanotube content from 0.1 to 1 wt% increased tensile strength of functional S‐PS/S‐PSPA/MWCNT hybrids from 62.19 to 65.29 MPa compared with non‐functional hybrid (53.34 MPa) and neat S‐PS/S‐PSPA. 10% decomposition temperature of S‐PS/S‐PSPA/MWCNT 0.1–1 was in the range 491–502°C, while S‐PS/S‐PSPA/MWCNT‐NF showed relatively lower thermal stability (T₁₀ 489°C). Glass transition temperature of functional S‐PS/S‐PSPA/MWCNT was also higher (201–243°C) relative to S‐PS/S‐PSPA/MWCNT‐NF (194°C). Furthermore, functional MWCNT‐based membranes had higher ion exchange capacity (IEC) 3.2–3.6 mmol/g and lower activation energies (95–36 kJ/mol). Novel functional membranes also revealed high proton conductivity 1.68–2.55 S/cm in a wide range of humidity at 80°C higher than that of perfluorinated Nafion® membrane (1.1 ×10^?1 S/cm) at 80°C (94% RH). POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:1776–1786, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Nonisothermal crystallization kinetics and thermomechanical properties of multiwalled carbon nanotube‐reinforced poly(ε‐caprolactone) composites

BACKGROUND: The technological development of poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) is limited by its short useful lifespan, low modulus and high crystallinity. There are a few papers dealing with the crystallization behavior of carbon nanotube‐reinforced PCL composites. However, little work has been done on the crystallization kinetics of melt‐compounded PCL/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) nanocomposites. In this study, PCL/MWNT nanocomposites were successfully prepared by a simple melt‐compounding method, and their morphology and mechanical properties as well as their crystallization kinetics were studied. RESULTS: The MWNTs were observed to be homogeneously dispersed throughout the PCL matrix. The incorporation of a very small quantity of MWNTs significantly improved the storage modulus and loss modulus of the PCL/MWNT nanocomposites. The nonisothermal crystallization behavior of the PCL/MWNT nanocomposites exhibits strong dependencies of the degree of crystallinity (X_c), peak crystallization temperature (T_p), half‐time of crystallization (t_1/2) and Avrami exponent (n) on the MWNT content and cooling rate. The MWNTs in the PCL/MWNT nanocomposites exhibit a higher nucleation activity. The crystallization activation energy (E_a) calculated with the Kissinger model is higher when a small amount of MWNTs is added, then gradually decreases; all the E_a values are higher than that of pure PCL. CONCLUSION: This paper reports for the first time the preparation of high‐performance biopolymer PCL/MWNT nanocomposites prepared by a simple melt‐compounding method. The results show that the PCL/MWNT nanocomposites can broaden the applications of PCL. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Electrical conductivity and oxygen permeability of polyacrylonitrile/multiwalled carbon nanotubes composites

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites were prepared by nonconventional ultrasonic‐assisted emulsifier free emulsion polymerization technique with variable percentage of functionalized carbon nanotube. PAN/MWCNT nanocomposites were characterized by ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐visible) spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The result from UV‐visible suggested that the functionalized MWCNT had interfacial interaction with PAN matrices. The surface morphology of functionalized MWCNT and PAN/MWCNT nanocomposites were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrical properties of PAN/MWCNT nanocomposites were measured and the result indicated that the conductivity increased with increasing concentration of MWCNTs. The oxygen permeability of PAN/MWCNT nanocomposites gradually increased with increase of MWCNT concentration, the result which was in agreement with the vertical alignment ofMWCNT in SEM. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Unique nucleation of multi-walled carbon nanotube and poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) nanocomposites during non-isothermal crystallization

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) (PEN) nanocomposites are prepared by a melt blending process. There are significant dependence of non-isothermal crystallization behavior and kinetics of PEN/MWCNT nanocomposites on the MWCNT content and cooling rate. The incorporation of MWCNT accelerates the mechanism of nucleation and crystal growth of PEN, and this effect is more pronounced at lower MWCNT content. Combined Avrami and Ozawa analysis is found to be effective in describing the non-isothermal crystallization of the PEN/MWCNT nanocomposites. The MWCNT in the PEN/MWCNT nanocomposites exhibits much higher nucleation activity than any nano-scaled reinforcement. When a vary small quantity of MWCNT was added, the activation energy for crystallization is lower, then gradually increased, and becomes higher than that of pure PEN above 1.0 wt% MWCNT content. The incorporation of MWCNT improves the storage modulus and loss modulus of PEN/MWCNT nanocomposites.     

Shear flow‐induced orientation and structural recovery of multiwalled carbon nanotube in poly(ethylene oxide) matrix

In the present work we studied the flow induced multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) orientation and the mechanisms governing the kinetics of nanotube reorientation and three‐dimensional network restructuring in poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/MWCNT nanocomposites. For this purpose, the linear and nonlinear viscoelastic experiments including frequency sweep, time sweep and transient tests were performed on PEO/MWCNT samples varying in MWCNT content. The extent as well as kinetics of network restructuring was found to be strongly dependent upon the amount of preshearing (shear rate and shearing time) and MWCNT concentration. The results also showed two mechanisms for structural recovery; a fast restructuring at the beginning due to rejoining of clusters and unoriented adjacent nanotube and much slower recovery in the longer annealing times due to Brownian motion. The latter mechanism was found to be uncompleted over 3600 s annealing. This was supported by a_ij (orientation tensors) calculated based on transmission electron micrograph. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41753.     

Dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes in polyacrylonitrile‐co‐starch copolymer matrix for enhancement of electrical,thermal, and gas barrier properties

Nanomaterials gained great importance on account of their wide range of applications in many areas. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) exhibit exceptional electrical, thermal, gas barrier, and tensile properties and can therefore be used for the development of a new generation of composite materials. Functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) reinforced Polyacrylonitrile‐co‐starch nanocomposites were prepared by in situ polymerization technique. The structural property of PAN‐co‐starch/MWCNT nanocomposites was studied by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The conductivity, tensile strength, and thermal properties of nanocomposites were measured as a function of MWCNT concentrations. The thermal stability, conductivity, and tensile strength of PAN‐co‐starch/MWCNT nanocomposites were improved with increasing concentration of MWCNTs. Oxygen barrier property of PAN‐co‐starch/MWCNT nanocomposites was calculated and it was found that, the property was reduced substantially with increase of MWCNTs proportion. The synthesized PAN‐co‐starch/MWCNT nanocomposites may used for electrostatically dissipative materials, aerospace or sporting goods, and electronic materials. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers