Preparation of antistatic polystyrene superfine powder with polystyrene modified carbon nanotubes as antistatic agent

Abstract A facile approach for fabricating antistatic polystyrene (PS) microspheres used in 3D print had been carried out by introducing polystyrene onto the MWCNTs (MWCNTs@PS) surface. Firstly, poly (styrene-co-acryloyl chloride) (PS-co-APCl) was synthesized via free radical polymerization. Then azide-poly (styrene-co-acrylic acid) (PS-co-APAA) were prepared through the reaction between the acylchloride groups of PACl with the sodium azide. Subsequently, the azide groups of PS-co-APAA hich produced nitrene under high temperature, reacting with the sp 2 carbon in MWCNTs. MWCNTs@PS thus obtained were characterized using FTIR, EDS, Raman, TAG and TEM, and used as antistatic agent in PS in-situ suspension polymerization. MWCNTs@PS/PS composite microspheres were characterized using TAG, SEM and TEM. Results revealed that PS was covalently bonded onto the surface of MWCNTs, which improved the compatibility with matrix. Thus, the antistatic performances were enhanced by a well-constructed electrostatic discharge channel in the polystyrene matrix. As a result, the surface resistance of the percolation threshold was 3.54 × 10 8 Ω when the loading of MWCNTs@PS was at 0.5 wt%.The average diameter of MWCNTs@PS/PS microspheres was about 54 μm and the morphology was also very smooth, which could be used in 3D print.