title: Polyacrylonitrile/carbon nanotube composite films.
abstract: Reinforcement efficiency of different types of carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been compared in polyacrylonitrile (PAN) films at nanotube loadings of 5, 10, and 20 wt %. The films are characterized for mechanical, dynamic-mechanical, and thermomechanical properties, electrical conductivity, as well as structural analysis. PAN/CNT composite films exhibit electrical conductivities up to 5500 S/m. Based on X-ray diffraction, PAN crystallinity was shown to increase with the presence of CNT. PAN-CNT interactions in the various composites were compared using conventional activation energy analysis. The strongest physical interaction between PAN and CNT was found in samples containing single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). CNT surface area was also measured using nitrogen gas adsorption and correlated with PAN-CNT composite film mechanical properties, in an effort to better understand PAN-CNT interactions for different CNT morphologies. Solvent behavior of various composite films has also been investigated. The presence of CNT was found to improve PAN solvent resistance.
authors.affiliation: The School of Polymer, Textile and Fiber Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Huina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Marilyn L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Minus
authors.forename: Sudhakar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jagannathan
authors.forename: Satish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008420:Manufactured Materials / Q000032:analysis*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; C010504:polyacrylonitrile