title: Enhanced electrical conductivity in polystyrene nanocomposites at ultra-low graphene content.
abstract: We compared the electrical conductivity of multiwalled-carbon-nanotube/polystyrene and graphene/polystyrene composites. The conductivity of polystyrene increases from ∼6.7 × 10(-14) to ∼3.49 S/m, with an increase in graphene content from ∼0.11 to ∼1.1 vol %. This is ∼2-4 orders of magnitude higher than for multiwalled-carbon-nanotube/polystyrene composites. Furthermore, we show that the conductivity of the graphene/polystyrene system can be significantly enhanced by incorporation of polylactic acid. The volume-exclusion principle forces graphene into the polystyrene-rich regions (selective localization) and generates ∼4.5-fold decrease in its percolation threshold from ∼0.33 to ∼0.075 vol %.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Department of Polymer Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
authors: Xian-Yong
authors: XY
authors: Qi
authors: Dong
authors: D
authors: Yan
authors: Zhiguo
authors: Z
authors: Jiang
authors: Ya-Kun
authors: YK
authors: Cao
authors: Zhong-Zhen
authors: ZZ
authors: Yu
authors: Fazel
authors: F
authors: Yavari
authors: Nikhil
authors: N
authors: Koratkar
mesh_terms: D004553:Electric Conductivity; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D011137:Polystyrenes; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide); D006108:Graphite