Rheological and electrical properties of polycarbonate/multi-walled carbon nanotube composites

Rheological and electrical properties of the polycarbonate (PC)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) were studied. The MWNT was funtoinalized by treating with the hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2). The H 2O 2 treated MWNT was dried by thermal and freeze drying methods. From the morphological studies, the degree of entanglement of the MWNT was decreased after treating with the H 2O 2. For the H 2O 2 treated MWNT (thermal drying), the length of the MWNT was shortened compared that of the H 2O 2 treated MWNT (freeze drying). The rheological and electrical properties of the PC/MWNT (H 2O 2 treated) composites increased compared that of the PC/MWNT (untreated) composites. Also, the electrical conductivity showed higher value for the PC/MWNT (H 2O 2 treated, freeze drying) composites compared that of the PC/MWNT (H 2O 2 treated, thermal drying) composites. From the results of the morphological, rheological, and electrical properties of the PC/MWNT composites, it is suggested that the electrical and rheological properties of the PC/MWNT composites are affected by the MWNT–MWNT network structure, which is related with the MWNT morphologies such as the degree of aggregation and aspect ratio of the MWNT.