Study of alternating current impedance analysis and dielectric properties of carbon nanotube‐based polysulfone nanocomposites

Abstract Polysulfone (PSU)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposites containing 0.5–3 wt% of MWCNTs were prepared by solution casting technique. To understand the dispersion behavior of MWCNTs inPSU matrix, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used. Electrical properties of nanocomposites were investigated by analyzing alternating current (AC) impedance spectra. The real part of complex impedance was decreased with increasing carbon nanotubes loading in the PSU matrix, which may be due to increase in conductive networks in the nanocomposite. The complex impedance Nyquist plots for PSU/MWCNTs nanocomposites were characterized by the appearance of a single semicircular arc, whose radii of curvature decreases with increasing MWCNTs loading. The polarization mechanism and the AC conduction mechanism were studied by designing equivalent circuit from impedance data. The dielectric response of PSU/MWCNTs nanocomposite was investigated over a wide range of frequency from 10 Hz to 10⁻⁶ Hz. Dielectric constant of PSU/MWCNTs nanocomposite was enhanced significantly from 2 to 6 × 10¹⁰ at 10 Hz when the addition of MWCNTs was increased from 0 to 3 wt%. The enhancement of dielectric property might be due to the interfacial polarization between carbon nanotubes and polysulfone. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers