Highly efficient electrically conductive networks in carbon‐black‐filled ternary blends through the formation of thermodynamically induced self‐assembled hierarchical structures

Abstract

Highly efficient electrical conductive networks were constructed in carbon‐black (CB)‐filled polyoxymethylene (POM)–thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)–polyamide 6 (PA6) ternary blends through the formation of a hierarchical structure composed of a minor PA6 phase as droplets inside one major phase (TPU) and CB particles localized at the TPU–PA6 interface by thermodynamically induced self‐assembly. The hierarchical structure was thermodynamically predicted on the basis of the minimization of total interfacial energies and confirmed by electron microscopy. The degrees of the TPU phase continuity before and after the addition of PA6 were determined by solvent‐extraction experiments. The percolation threshold of CB decreased by 50% compared to that in the POM–TPU binary blend because of the more efficient formation of a CB conductive network through CB‐covered PA6 domains inside the TPU phase. The hierarchical structure not only increased the electrical conductivity of the composites but also improved their thermal stability in comparison with the simple structure formed by the homogeneously dispersed CB particles in POM. The method reported in this article can offer possibilities for improving the comprehensive properties of the conductive composites and the widening of their applications. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 45877.

Changes in Electrical Conductance of Polymer Composites Melts Due to Carbon Nanofiller Particles Migration

“…In the work of Zhang et al [ 21 ], the authors demonstrated construction of highly efficient electrical conductive networks in CB-filled polyoxymethylene–thermoplastic polyurethane–polyamide 6 (PA6) ternary blends through the formation of a hierarchical structure composed of a minor PA6 phase as droplets inside one major phase (TPU) and CB particles localized at the TPU–PA6 interface by thermodynamically induced self-assembly. It was shown, that the obtained hierarchical structure can be thermodynamically predicted on the basis of the minimization of total interfacial energies, which was confirmed by the electron microscopy results.…”

Low Percolation Threshold and Enhanced Electromagnetic Interference Shielding in Polyoxymethylene/Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites with Conductive Segregated Networks

“…The conductivity of POM is usually improved by filling antistatic agents, carbon nanotube (CNT), carbon black (CB), etc. − Yin et al prepared conductive POM composites by mixing MWCNTs and CB with POM simultaneously, which showed that the conductive path was cobuilt, and the percolation threshold was between the threshold of their separate composites. Zhang et al introduced polyamide (PA6) into a POM/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/carbon black (CB) blend to construct hierarchical structures. For POM/30 wt % TPU/CB composite, CB particles were well dispersed in TPU phases.…”

Thermal, electrical and mechanical properties of carbon fiber/copper powder/carbon black reinforced hybrid Polyamide 6,6 composites

“…In addition, using carbon fibers in PA 6,6 composites have advantageous of weight and strength of the material. 24 Sarac et al 25 reported that the flexural and tensile modulus of PA 6,6 nanocomposites with carbon fiber reinforcement prepared by the melt blending method was 34% higher than that of pure PA 6,6. Heiser and King 26 prepared three different PA 6,6 composites using 5% carbon black, 30% synthetic graphite and 20% carbon fiber by weight.…”