Polyisoprene  single-wall carbon nanotube composites synthesized under high pressure

• The mechanical and thermal properties of high-pressure-synthesized composites of polyisoprene (PI) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) (1 wt%) have been measured using a tensile tester and the transient hot-wire method. PI–SWCNT composites were prepared by ultrasonic mixing in toluene to obtain good dispersion of the nanotubes within the polymer matrix, which was verified by atomic force microscopy. The mixtures were dried for several days under dynamic vacuum and subsequently treated at a high pressure (0.5 GPa) and temperature (513 K) to improve the SWCNT–polymer interaction. As a result of the high-pressure treatment, PI becomes crosslinked, yielding an elastomeric PI–SWCNT composite. Preliminary results show that the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the composite are 2.8 and five times higher, respectively, than those of pure high-pressure-treated PI, and that the thermal conductivity increased 30% by adding 1 wt% SWCNTs.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Condensed matter physics

Kondenserade materiens fysik

fysik

Physics

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)