Enhanced Interfacial Adhesion by Reactive Carbon Nanotubes: New Route to High-Performance Immiscible Polymer Blend Nanocomposites with Simultaneously Enhanced Toughness, Tensile Strength, and Electrical Conductivity

Abstract

Physically anchoring carbon nanotubes (CNTs) onto the interface of immiscible polymer blends has been extensively reported; however, enhancement of physical properties of the blends has seldom been achieved. Herein, we used CNTs with reactive epoxide groups and long poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) tails as a thermodynamic compatibilizer for immiscible poly vinylidene fluoride/poly l-lactide (PVDF/PLLA) blends. The CNTs acted as an efficient compatibilizer and bridged the two phases through physical entanglement and chemical reaction. The sea-island structure of the blend transformed into a bicontinuous structure for CNT contents greater than 3 wt %. The mechanical properties, including ductility and tensile strength, thermal properties, and electrical conductivities were all enhanced by the CNTs compatibilizer. This strategy thermodynamically compatibilized by reactive nanofillers paves the way for advanced blend nanocomposites.

Effect of talc and diatomite on compatible, morphological, and mechanical behavior of PLA/PBAT blends

“…To obtain composite materials with excellent properties, a good compatibilizer should be added to the blends. Premade copolymers (15), reactive polymers (16)(17)(18), and reactive low molecular weight chemicals (19) are considered as the most common compatibilizer in industrial production and scientific research. Adding nanoparticles to an immiscible blend could effectively improve the compatibility of PLA and PBAT (20).…”

Tuning the Conductivity of Nanocomposites through Nanoparticle Migration and Interface Crossing in Immiscible Polymer Blends: A Review on Fundamental Understanding

“…Care must be taken when modifying the nanoparticles in favor of final localization of the nanoparticles inside the blends. Zhao et al . functionalized the surface of CNTs first with epoxy group and later grafted with long PMMA molecules.…”

Recent Progress on Thermo-electrical Properties of Conductive Polymer Composites and Their Application in Temperature Sensors

“…In general, the carbonaceous nanoparticles (e.g. carbon black (CB), [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] carbon fibers (CFs), [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), [25][26][27][28][29] multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), [1,[30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39] graphene (GE), [40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49] and graphite nanosheets [50][51][52][53]…”