Enhancement of conductive pathway of functionalized CNT dispersed poly(methylmethacrylate) nanocomposites

Poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) beads were coated with pristine multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) using various mixing medium and then nanocomposite were fabricated. Results were compared with acid functionalized MWNT (f-MWNT) coated PMMA bead nanocomposites. In addition, a combination of different mixing medium was also used to compare and to optimize the homogeneously dispersed MWNT and f-MWNT coating on PMMA beads. A homogeneous coating of nanotubes on the PMMA beads were observed in a DMF solution and confirmed by optical microscopy, SEM, Raman mapping, and sheet resistance measurements. Moreover, percolation and electrical properties were also compared with respect to nanotubes dispersion in the PMMA resin matrix. Nanocomposites prepared by coating PMMA beads with pristine CNT exhibited improvement of electro conductive pathway i.e., lowering percolation threshold below 0.1 wt% of MWNT content. The result was also compared with acid treated MWNT coated PMMA beads and acid treated dispersed MWNT in PMMA resins. The ultra-low electrical surface resistance of nanocomposites using trace amounts of MWNT coating on PMMA beads has not been reported so far.