Effect of Nanotubes on the Electrical and Mechanical Properties of Chitosan Films

Using the methods of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, the structure of composite films based on chitosan and single-wall carbon tubes has been studied. It is shown that the introduction of carbon nanotubes leads to the ordering of the chitosan structure. Increase in concentration of nanotubes (0–3%) causes rise in the value of storage modulus from 3 to 4 GPa (DMA data), increase in electrical conductivity of samples (from 10 –11 to 10 2 S/m), and some changes in their dielectric permittivity (from 5.5. to 26 at an electrical field frequency of 1 kHz). Data on the ionic and electronic components of the conductivity of the composite film are presented.