Electrical conductivity enhancement of polymer/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites by thermally-induced defunctionalization of MWCNTs

Abstract

We report a thermally-induced increase of electrical conductivity of polymer/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites using Diels-Alder-adduct-modified MWCNTs as additives. Thermal treatments of the composites induce the defunctionalization of the modified MWCNTs through retro-DA reaction, consequently to recover the electrical conductivity of MWCNTs and to increase the conductivity of PVDF/MWCNT composites. For the composites possessing 0.5 wt % of MWCNTs, thermal treatment increases the electrical conductivity from 2 × 10-12 S cm-1 to 4 × 10-8 S cm-1 and significantly reduces the value of percolation threshold. Meanwhile, the thermal treatment does not alter the mechanical properties of the composites. © 2011 American Chemical Society.