Thermal and mechanical properties of polypropylene filaments reinforced with multiwalled carbon nanotubes via melt compounding

This study examined the thermal and mechanical properties of polypropylene filaments reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). The MWNTs were functionalized with maleic anhydride polypropylene to increase the interfacial interactions between the CNTs and polypropylene. PP/MWNT composites with different concentrations of MWNTs were prepared by melt compounding using a twin screw extruder. The composites of the filament were then post drawn and heat treated. Tensile tests showed increased strength with the addition of only 0.1 wt% while there were only slight changes in elongation. The thermal properties were also slightly enhanced by the MWNTs.