Mechanical and Conductive Properties of Carbon Black-filled High-density Polyethylene,Low-density Polyethylene,and Linear Low-density Polyethylene

Abstract

High conductive composites were manufactured using single screw extruder melt compound method with carbon black (CB)-filled high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). A low percolation threshold value was achieved from the composites consisting of 2 wt% CB (Printex) with HDPE (HDPE3690). The impact strength of CB/LDPE and CB/LLDPE composites were almost 20 times higher than that of CB/HDPE3690. The tensile modulus and strength of conductive composites increased with the content of CB. Microstructures of conductive composites were analyzed using scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. At the 2 wt% CB content, the CB particles have built a conductive network, which lead to high conductivity.

Keywords

polyethylene composite compounding impact resistance nanocomposite.

References

Ezquerra, T.A. , Connor, M.T. , Roy , S. , Kulescza, M. , Fernandes-Nascimento , J. and Balta-Calleja, F.J. (2001 ). Alternating-current Electrical Properties of Graphite, Carbon-black and Carbon-fiber Polymeric Composites , Composites Science and Technology, 61(6): 903-909.

Foulger, S.H. (1999). Electrical Properties of Composites in the Vicinity of the Percolation Threshold, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 72(12): 1573-1582.

Foulger, S.H. (1999). Reduced Percolation Thresholds of Immiscible Conductive Blends, Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 37(15): 1899-1910.

Knite, M. , Teteris, V. , Polyakov, B. and Erts, D. ( 2002). Electric and Elastic Properties of Conductive Polymeric Nanocomposites on Macro- and Nanoscales, Materials Science and Engineering: C, 19(1-2): 15-19.

Mamunya, Y.P. , Davydenko, V.V. , Pissis, P. and Lebedev, E.V. (2002). Electrical and Thermal Conductivity of Polymers Filled with Metal Powders , European Polymer Journal, 38(9): 1887-1897.

Mather, P.J. and Thomas, K.M. ( 1997). Carbon Black/High Density Polyethylene Conducting Composite Materials: Part I Structural Modification of a Carbon Black by Gasification in Carbon Dioxide and the Effect on the Electrical and Mechanical Properties of the Composite, Journal of Materials Science, 32(2): 401-407.

Mather, P.J. and Thomas, K.M. (1997). Carbon Black/High Density Polyethylene Conducting Composite Materials: Part II The Relationship Between the Positive Temperature Coefficient and the Volume Resistivity , Journal of Materials Science, 32(7): 1711-1715.

Thongruang, W. , Balik, C.M. and Spontak, R.J. (2002). Volume-exclusion Effects in Polyethylene Blends Filled with Carbon Black, Graphite, or Carbon Fiber , Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 40(10): 1013-1025.

Yuan, Q. and Wu, D.Y. ( 2009). Conductivity of Carbon Black Polyethylene and Polypropylene Composites with Low Percolation Threshold, Journal of Applied Polymer Science (in press).

10.

Omastov, M. , Prokes, J. , Podhradsk , S. and Chodak, I. (2001). Stability of Electrical and Mechanical Properties of Polyethylene/Carbon Black Composites, Macromolecular Symposia, 170(1): 231-240.

11.

Thongruang, W. , Spontak, R.M. and Balik, C.M. (2002). Correlated Electrical Conductivity and Mechanical Property Analysis of High-density Polyethylene Filled with Graphite and Carbon Fiber, Polymer , 43(8): 2279-2286.

12.

Mamunya, Y. (2001). Polymer Blends Filled with Carbon Black: Structure and Electrical Properties, Macromolecular Symposia, 170(1): 257-264.

13.

Khare, A.R. , Westphal, S.P. , Ling, M.T.K. , Qin , C. and Woo , L. (2000). Thermal and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis on Metallocene ULDPE/PP Blends to Optimize Impact Properties, Thermochimica Acta, 357-358: 155-160.

14.

Zois, H. , Apekis L. and Omastova M. ( 2001). Electrical Properties of Carbon Black-filled Polymer Composites, Macromolecular Symposia, 170(1): 249-256.