The Localization Behavior of Different CNTs in PC/SAN Blends Containing a Reactive Component
Marén Gültner1, Regine Boldt1, Petr Formanek1
1Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V. (IPF Dresden), Hohe Str. 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 3, 2021
Summary
The addition of a reactive component (RC) to polycarbonate/poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) blends influences the localization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). This allows for tuning nanotube distribution within the polymer blend.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Polymer blends offer tunable properties but often suffer from phase immiscibility.
- Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising nanofillers but their dispersion and localization in polymer matrices are challenging.
- Controlling CNT localization is crucial for optimizing composite material performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of a reactive component (RC) on the localization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in immiscible polycarbonate/poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (PC/SAN) blends.
- To explore the role of RC concentration and CNT type on their distribution within the blend components.
- To understand the influence of CNT surface functionalities and defect concentration on localization.
Main Methods:
- Melt compounding of PC/SAN blends with MWCNTs or SWCNTs and a reactive component (RC) in a one-step process.
- Utilizing transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-filtered TEM to analyze the localization of CNTs within the blend phases.
- Varying RC concentration and CNT type (functionalized/non-functionalized) to observe their impact on localization.
Main Results:
- In PC/SAN blends without RC, MWCNTs preferentially localized in the PC phase.
- In PC/SAN blends with RC, MWCNTs localized in the SAN-RC phase, with localization tunable by adjusting the MWCNT/RC ratio.
- SWCNTs exhibited varied localization behavior (PC phase only or both phases) depending on their specific type, suggesting surface functionalities and defects play a role.
Conclusions:
- The reactive component (RC) effectively alters the localization of MWCNTs in PC/SAN blends, enabling control over their distribution.
- SWCNT localization is more complex and depends significantly on their intrinsic properties, such as surface functionalization and defect concentration.
- This study demonstrates a method to tune nanofiller localization in polymer blends using reactive components, offering pathways for advanced composite design.
Keywords:
carbon nanotube localizationcarbon nanotubesmelt mixingmorphologynanocompositespoly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)polycarbonatepolymer blendsreactive additiveMore Related Videos
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