title: Inorganic nanotubes reinforced polyvinylidene fluoride composites as low-cost electromagnetic interference shielding materials.
abstract: Novel polymer nanocomposites comprising of MnO2 nanotubes (MNTs), functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) were synthesized. Homogeneous distribution of f-MWCNTs and MNTs in PVDF matrix were confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Electrical conductivity measurements were performed on these polymer composites using four probe technique. The addition of 2 wt.% of MNTs (2 wt.%, f-MWCNTs) to PVDF matrix results in an increase in the electrical conductivity from 10-16S/m to 4.5 × 10-5S/m (3.2 × 10-1S/m). Electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) was measured with vector network analyzer using waveguide sample holder in X-band frequency range. EMI SE of approximately 20 dB has been obtained with the addition of 5 wt.% MNTs-1 wt.% f-MWCNTs to PVDF in comparison with EMI SE of approximately 18 dB for 7 wt.% of f-MWCNTs indicating the potential use of the present MNT/f-MWCNT/PVDF composite as low-cost EMI shielding materials in X-band region.
authors.affiliation: Alternative Energy and Nanotechnology Laboratory (AENL), Nano Functional Materials, Technology Centre (NFMTC), Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India. ramp@iitm.ac.in.
authors.forename: Varrla
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eswaraiah
authors.forename: Venkataraman
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sankaranarayanan
authors.forename: Sundara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramaprabhu