Effect of multiwall nanotube on the properties of polypropylenes

The variety of plastics is enormous; however in some cases there is no pure material to fulfill all the requirements. In these cases it is important to prepare the desired material by mixing pure polymeric materials. Different composition of carbon nanotubes and polymers were produced by a special mixing unit called Infinitely Variable Dynamic Shear Mixer (IDMX). In the experiments polypropylene and polycarbonate polymers were used as matrix materials. Nanotube masterbatches were used to prepare different compositions. Concentration series were manufactured by the dynamic mixer. The nanotube composites were granulated and test pieces were injection moulded. The prepared materials were characterised by scanning electron microscopy. Mechanical, electrical and burning properties of the materials were also determined. The order of magnitude increase of the conductivity of the composites was 8 compared to the pure polymer. The ultimate elongation decreases with increasing nanotube concentration. The composites show more rigid behaviour than the pure materials.