Multiwalled carbon nanotube/polypropylene composites : investigation of the melt processing by injection molding and analysis of the resulting mechanical behaviour

This paper focuses on the mechanical behaviour of PP/MWCNT composites. The Young’s modulus and the rupture strain versus nanotubes content are investigated. Four grades are made: 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 4 wt%, 8 wt%. The achievement of the tensile test samples require three phases: the mixing stage, the identification of the rheological behaviour stage and the injection molding stage. In the mixing stage, one must be careful that there’s a good dispersion of the MWCNT in the polymer matrix. The rheological behaviour of the PP/MWCNT composite show that the useful injection molding parameters of the neat PP can be reinvestigated for the PP/MWCNT composites. Results of the mechanical experiments clearly show a high dependence of the Young’s modulus and the rupture strain with the CNT content.