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Flow-induced properties of nanotube-filled polymer materials

Nature Materials volume 3, pages 564–568 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are under intense investigation in materials science owing to their potential for modifying the electrical conductivity σ, shear viscosity η, and other transport properties of polymeric materials. These particles are hybrids of filler and nanoscale additives because their lengths are macroscopic whereas their cross-sectional dimensions are closer to molecular scales. The combination of extended shape, rigidity and deformability allows CNTs to be mechanically dispersed in polymer matrices in the form of disordered 'jammed' network structures. Our measurements on representative network-forming multiwall nanotube (MWNT) dispersions in polypropylene indicate that these materials exhibit extraordinary flow-induced property changes. Specifically, σ and η both decrease strongly with increasing shear rate, and these nanocomposites exhibit impressively large and negative normal stress differences, a rarely reported phenomenon in soft condensed matter. We illustrate the practical implications of these nonlinear transport properties by showing that MWNTs eliminate die swell in our nanocomposites, an effect crucial for their processing.

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Figure 1: Morphology of MWNT/PP nanocomposites.
Figure 2: Characterization of the transport property transitions in MWNT/PP nanocomposites.
Figure 3: Modification of transport properties during flow.
Figure 4: Suppression of die swell by MWNT filler.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Polymers Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, 20899-8544, Maryland, USA

    Semen B. Kharchenko, Jack F. Douglas, Jan Obrzut & Kalman B. Migler

  2. Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, 40506-0503, Kentucky, USA

    Eric A. Grulke

Authors
  1. Semen B. Kharchenko
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  2. Jack F. Douglas
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Correspondence to Semen B. Kharchenko, Jack F. Douglas or Kalman B. Migler.

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Kharchenko, S., Douglas, J., Obrzut, J. et al. Flow-induced properties of nanotube-filled polymer materials. Nature Mater 3, 564–568 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1183

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