title: Synergistic effects of zirconia-coated carbon nanotube on crystalline structure of polyvinylidene fluoride nanocomposites: electrical properties and flame-retardant behavior.
abstract: Pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and zirconia-coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (ZrO(2)/MWNTs) by isothermal hydrolysis and the traditional chemical precipitation method have been dispersed into polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) copolymer by solution mixing in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). The effect of ZrO(2)-coated MWNTs on morphological properties, electrical properties, and flame-retardant behavior has been studied in comparison with virgin PVDF and PVDF/MWNTs nanocomposites. Due to the improved dispersion of the coated nanotubes, the incorporation of 3 wt % of ZrO(2)-coated MWNTs leads to an increase of the thermal stability and dielectric properties and a decrease of the peak heat-release rate.
authors.affiliation: Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Nano and Advanced Materials Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Gyeongnam, Jinju, 660-701, South Korea. pl_kshk@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Kaushik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: Dong Jin
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Zhen Xiu
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin Kuk
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim