Polymer/carbon nanofillers films fabricated by latex technology

Abstract

This research presents a generic fabrication method for tailoring polymer/carbon nanofillers composites with controlled architecture and composition. Two types of common carbon nanofillers, i.e. multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and graphene nanosheets, are finely dispersed in an aqueous dispersion of polyacrylate followed by a microfiltration process. The second step allows preserving the high dispersion level of the nanofillers within the polymer matrix in the resulting solid films/layers. This study aims to investigate the structure–property relationship of the polyacrylate/nanofiller films, fabricated by the combination of latex technology and microfiltration. The polyacrylate/MWNTs system is studied over the entire MWNTs composition (0 to 100 wt%) and is shown to exhibit a structural transition; from a nanocomposite structure, in which the nanotubes are dispersed within a continuous polymer matrix, to a porous MWNTs macrostructure containing segregated polymer domains. This structural transition is corroborated with the films‐specific surface area values and the mechanical properties versus the MWNTs content. The percolation threshold of the studied polyacrylate/MWNTs systems is obtained at MWNTs content of ~0.04 wt%, an order of magnitude lower compared with cast films, fabricated by conventional latex technology. Polyacrylate/graphene nanosheet nanocomposites that are fabricated using the same method also demonstrate a structural transition from nanofiller/polymer composite material to graphene macrostructures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Latex routes to graphene-based nanocomposites

“…A quite straightforward approach is to use SDBS surfactant as it is commonly used to stabilize carbon-based fillers, in particular graphene and RGO. Mechrez et al 107 produced polyacrylate/ graphene nanocomposites by dispersing graphene nanosheets in an aqueous dispersion of a commercial polyacrylate latex with SDBS surfactant followed by a microfiltration process. Ghislandi et al 108 mixed a PP latex with a graphene dispersion stabilized by SDBS to a final filler content between 0.1 wt% and 10 wt%.…”

Facile preparation of highly conductive, flexible, and strong carbon nanotube/polyaniline composite films

“…Figure (a) summarizes the results for the tensile strength and elongation at break as a function of CNT content. The results show that the addition of CNTs at proper contents (1 wt % and 2 wt %) can simultaneously improve the tensile strength and elongation at break of the CNT/PANI‐EB composite films owing to reinforcement of the polymer matrix by the nanotubes . For the CNT/PANI‐EB composite film with the 2 wt % CNTs, the tensile strength is increased from 61.3 to 74.5 MPa and the elongation at break (ductility) is increased from1.74% to 2.42%.…”

“…The results show that the addition of CNTs at proper contents (1 wt % and 2 wt %) can simultaneously improve the tensile strength and elongation at break of the CNT/PANI-EB composite films owing to reinforcement of the polymer matrix by the nanotubes. 41,42 For the CNT/PANI-EB composite film with the 2 wt % CNTs, the tensile strength is increased from 61.3 to 74.5 MPa and the elongation at break (ductility) is increased from1.74% to 2.42%. When the CNT content is increased to 5 wt % or higher, the tensile properties of the composite films are decreased by the addition of CNTs, ascribed to the "CNT agglomeration" at this composite At a low CNT content such as 2 wt %, the flexibility can be maintained to a high degree and is better than that of the commercial PET based conductive composite film.…”