Functionalized polypropylenes as efficient dispersing agents for carbon nanotubes in a polypropylene matrix; application to electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorber materials

Thomassin, Jean-Michel
Huynen, Isabelle
Jerome, Robert
Detrembleur, Christophe

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Publication date

January 2010

DOI

10.1016/j.polymer.2009.11.012

Publisher

Elsevier BV

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been dispersed within polypropylene with the purpose to prepare electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorbers. In order to limit the reflectivity of the electromagnetic waves at the interface of the materials while achieving good absorbing properties, the CNTs concentration must be kept low (<3 wt%) which means that a perfect dispersion must be ensured. Since CNTs do not disperse well within apolar polymer matrices such as polypropylene, two compatibilizers bearing aromatic moieties, i.e. pyrene and pyridine, able to develop pi-pi interactions with the CNTs have been synthesized starting from polypropylene grafted by maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA). A masterbatch is first prepared by dispersion of CNTs within the comp...