1. School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AH, UK;2. Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Hohe Stra?e 6, Dresden, D‐01069, Germany
Abstract:
The influence of screw speed on the electrical and rheological percolation of HIPS/MWCNT composites prepared via melt mixing was investigated. Microscopic examination of these composites using POM, FESEM and HRTEM revealed optimum MWCNT dispersion was achieved at intermediate screw speeds. On addition of MWCNTs to HIPS, the electrical conductivity of HIPS increased by up to 12 orders of magnitude. At screw speeds up to 100 rpm an electrical percolation of 1–3 wt.‐% was achieved. This increased to 3–5 wt.‐% when the screw speed was increased to 150 rpm. The onset of a rheological percolation was detected for an MWCNT loading of 5 wt.‐%, irrespective of screw speed employed. An up‐shift in the Raman G‐band of 24 cm?1 was observed, implying strong interfacial interaction between HIPS and MWCNTs.
