Mechanical and electrical properties of carbon nanotube fibers from impregnation with poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) and subsequent thermal condensation

Sequential impregnation of a composite of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(acrylic acid) (PVA–PAA) into carbon‐nanotube fibers (CNTFs) and thermal condensation were investigated as a simple and efficient continuous textile engineering technique to prepare mechanically and electrically reinforced CNTFs. The CNTFs that were physically impregnated with PVA–PAA ( PI‐CNTF–(PVA/PAA) ) and the chemically crosslinked CNTF ( CL‐CNTF–(PVA/PAA) ) exhibited tensile strengths that were ∼1.6 and ∼2.1 times higher, respectively, and Young's moduli that were ∼1.3 and ∼2.3 times higher, respectively, than those of direct‐spun CNTFs. The electrical conductivity of PI‐CNTF–(PVA/PAA) and CL‐CNTF–(PVA/PAA) had values that were ∼1.5 and ∼1.7 times higher, respectively, than that of raw CNTFs . Moreover, the chemically crosslinked networks of CL‐CNTF–(PVA/PAA) resulting from the heat treatment enhanced the water resistance of the composite. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:971–977, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers