Preparation and physical properties of poly(ethylene-co-ethyl acrylate)/carbon nanotube nanocomposites

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)-reinforced poly(ethylene-co-ethyl acrylate) (EEA) nanocomposites were prepared by both melt and solution mixing methods. The mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties were investigated as a function of type and loading of CNT. The tensile strength and modulus increased, while elongation at break decreased with increasing MWCNT content. The hollow-type MWCNT showed an improved tensile strength and elongation at break compared with a conventional MWCNT. The thermal degradation temperature was increased by around 40 V with increasing the amount of MWCNT. The melt-mixed composites showed the highest volume resistivity. In the case of solution-mixed composites, the conventional MWCNT was estimated to show much lower volume resistivity than that of hollow MWCNT. The number and length of extruded CNT onto the fractured surface increased by both increasing the content of CNT and employing the tensile strain to the sample. The melt-mixed specimens showed much smaller number and shorter length of extruded CNT.