Rate dependence of electrical and mechanical properties of conductive polymer nanocomposites

Conductive polymer nanocomposites with enhanced electrical and thermal properties show promise as an alternative solution for electronic materials. For example, electronic interconnect materials will have comparable electrical and thermal conductivity to solder with an increased operating range of strain and temperature. This paper documents the fabrication and experimental evaluation of a prototype conductive polymer nanocomposite. Material selection, fabrication processes, and initial characterization of a low Tg polymer with a high fill ratio of carbon nanotubes is presented. The electrical and thermal properties of the composite are measured and compared with predictions. The mechanical properties are measured using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) over a wide temperature range. The mechanical and electrical responses of the conductive polymer composite are simultaneously measured at higher strain rates using a modified split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus. The dynamic stress-strain response is obtained using traditional analytic methods (e.g., two- and three-wave analysis). The electrical response is observed using constant current excitation with high bandwidth (>500 kHz) instrumentation. The dynamic compression data implies the change in electrical resistance is solely a function of the material deformation, i.e., the material exhibits constant electrical conductivity and is insensitive to the applied loads. DMA and SHPB dynamic data are used to estimate the parameters in a Mulliken-Boyce constitutive model, and the resulting behavior is critically evaluated. Finally, progress towards improving the polymer composite's mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties are discussed.