Electrically-Responsive Reversible Polyketone/MWCNT Network through Diels-Alder Chemistry.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Development of advanced polymer networks with tunable properties is crucial for next-generation materials.
• Electrically conductive and thermally stable polymers are in high demand for various technological applications.
• Reversible crosslinking strategies offer pathways to recyclable and reshapeable polymer systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare electrically conductive polymer networks using furan-functionalised polyketone (PK-Fu) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs).
• To investigate the reversible crosslinking of these networks via Diels-Alder (DA) cycloaddition with bis-maleimide (B-Ma).
• To evaluate the thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of the resulting nanocomposites and their reshapeability.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of PK-Fu and its doping with MWCNTs.
• Reversible crosslinking using Diels-Alder (DA) cycloaddition with bis-maleimide (B-Ma).
• Characterization using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA).

Main Results:

• Incorporation of 5 wt.% MWCNTs enhanced material modulus and imparted electrical and thermal conductivity.
• Covalent interaction between MWCNTs and the polymer matrix via DA reaction confirmed by XPS.
• Crosslinked networks exhibited a higher softening point (155 °C) compared to non-MWCNT counterparts.
• The composite demonstrated thermoplastic behavior after grinding and compression molding, with properties restored upon annealing via resistive heating.

Conclusions:

• The developed PK-Fu/B-Ma/MWCNT composite exhibits excellent thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties.
• The Diels-Alder chemistry enables effective crosslinking and reversible network disruption, allowing for reshaping.
• This study presents a promising approach for creating recyclable and high-performance conductive polymer networks.