Conducting Polymer Nanocomposites Based on Carbon Nanomaterials (CNMs)

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "2D and Carbon Nanomaterials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 8135

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs), such as single- and multiwalled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, graphene, and graphene oxide, have found a great interest in the fields of nanocomposite materials because of their unique properties. In particular, they are characterized by a large surface area, good environmental stability, and excellent electrical, thermal, chemical, and mechanical properties. Clearly, the incorporation of CNMs in polymer matrices is a very attractive approach to merge the mechanical and processability features of the polymer with the conductive properties of the nanofiller. These nanocomposites open up new opportunities in various fields ranging from sensors, electrochemical capacitors, solar cells, transistors, to molecular electronic devices.

This Special Issue of Nanomaterials aims at collecting works focusing on the correlation of the nanocomposite preparation approach with the material final features, particularly in terms of CNM dispersion and nanofiller/polymer interaction, analyzing in detail the effect of nanofiller functionalization. In particular, it considers the role of CNMs on the nanocomposite properties, especially in terms of thermal and electrical conductivity.  

The topics cover a wide range of research fields, including nanomaterials and nanofabrication, in the forms of reviews, communications, and academic articles.

Dr. Orietta Monticelli
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Carbon nanomaterials
  • Nanocomposite electrical conductivity
  • Nanocomposite thermal conductivity
  • Nanofiller functionalization
  • Nanocomposite preparation

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 9451 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Plasma Deposition of Carbon Nanomaterials Using Various Polymer Materials as a Carbon Atom Source
by Alenka Vesel, Rok Zaplotnik, Gregor Primc, Domen Paul and Miran Mozetič
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(2), 246; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12020246 - 13 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1263
Abstract
Carbon nanowalls are promising materials for various electrochemical devices due to their chemical inertness, desirable electrical conductivity, and excellent surface-to-mass ratio. Standard techniques, often based on plasma-assisted deposition using gaseous precursors, enable the synthesis of top-quality carbon nanowalls, but require long deposition times [...] Read more.
Carbon nanowalls are promising materials for various electrochemical devices due to their chemical inertness, desirable electrical conductivity, and excellent surface-to-mass ratio. Standard techniques, often based on plasma-assisted deposition using gaseous precursors, enable the synthesis of top-quality carbon nanowalls, but require long deposition times which represents a serious obstacle for mass applications. Here, an alternative deposition technique is presented. The carbon nanowalls were synthesized on titanium substrates using various polymers as solid precursors. A solid precursor and the substrate were mounted into a low-pressure plasma reactor. Plasma was sustained by an inductively coupled radiofrequency discharge in the H-mode at the power of 500 W. Spontaneous growth of carbon nanomaterials was observed for a variety of polymer precursors. The best quality of carbon nanowalls was obtained using aliphatic polyolefins. The highest growth rate of a thin film of carbon nanowalls of about 200 nm/s was observed. The results were explained by different degradation mechanisms of polymers upon plasma treatment and the surface kinetics. Full article
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13 pages, 3193 KiB  
Article
On the Development of an Effective Method to Produce Conductive PCL Film
by Giacomo Damonte, Alberto Vallin, Alberto Fina and Orietta Monticelli
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(6), 1385; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11061385 - 24 May 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1911
Abstract
The aim of this work was to develop an effective approach to improve the graphite dispersion and, consequently, the electrical conductivity of nanocomposites based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and graphite nanoplates (GNP). With this aim, a polymeric additive was designed to be compatible with [...] Read more.
The aim of this work was to develop an effective approach to improve the graphite dispersion and, consequently, the electrical conductivity of nanocomposites based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and graphite nanoplates (GNP). With this aim, a polymeric additive was designed to be compatible with the polymer matrix and capable of interacting with the graphite layers. Indeed, the compound consists of a low molecular mass PCL ending with a pyrene group (Pyr-PCL). The exploitation of such a molecule is expected to promote from one side specific interactions of the pyrene terminal group with the surface of graphite layers and from the other to guarantee the compatibility with PCL, having a chain with the same nature as the matrix. The features of the nanocomposites prepared by directly blending PCL with GNP were compared with those of the same systems also containing the additive. Moreover, a neat mixture, based on PCL and PCL-Pyr, was prepared and characterized. The specific interactions between the ad hoc synthesized compound and graphite were verified by UV measurements, while SEM characterization demonstrated a finer dispersion of GNP in the samples containing Pyr-PCL. GNP nucleating effect, proved by the increase in the crystallization temperature, was observed in all the samples containing the nanofiller. Moreover, a significant improvement of the electrical conductivity was found in the systems based on the pyrenyl terminated PCL. This peculiar and interesting phenomenon was related to the optimized nanofiller dispersion and to the ameliorated compatibility with the polymer matrix. Full article
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16 pages, 4144 KiB  
Article
Multifunctional Conductive Paths Obtained by Laser Processing of Non-Conductive Carbon Nanotube/Polypropylene Composites
by Federico Cesano, Mohammed Jasim Uddin, Alessandro Damin and Domenica Scarano
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(3), 604; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11030604 - 28 Feb 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2298
Abstract
Functional materials are promising candidates for application in structural health monitoring/self-healing composites, wearable systems (smart textiles), robotics, and next-generation electronics. Any improvement in these topics would be of great relevance to industry, environment, and global needs for energy sustainability. Taking into consideration all [...] Read more.
Functional materials are promising candidates for application in structural health monitoring/self-healing composites, wearable systems (smart textiles), robotics, and next-generation electronics. Any improvement in these topics would be of great relevance to industry, environment, and global needs for energy sustainability. Taking into consideration all these aspects, low-cost fabrication of electrical functionalities on the outer surface of carbon-nanotube/polypropylene composites is presented in this paper. Electrical-responsive regions and conductive tracks, made of an accumulation layer of carbon nanotubes without the use of metals, have been obtained by the laser irradiation process, leading to confined polymer melting/vaporization with consequent local increase of the nanotube concentration over the electrical percolation threshold. Interestingly, by combining different investigation methods, including thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, scanning electron and atomic force microscopies (SEM, AFM), and Raman spectroscopy, the electrical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube/polypropylene (MWCNT/PP) composites have been elucidated to unfold their potentials under static and dynamic conditions. More interestingly, prototypes made of simple components and electronic circuits (resistor, touch-sensitive devices), where conventional components have been substituted by the carbon nanotube networks, are shown. The results contribute to enabling the direct integration of carbon conductive paths in conventional electronics and next-generation platforms for low-power electronics, sensors, and devices. Full article
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15 pages, 4353 KiB  
Article
Multiscale Numerical Modeling for Prediction of Piezoresistive Effect for Polymer Composites with a Highly Segregated Structure
by Oleg V. Lebedev, Alexander N. Ozerin and Sergey G. Abaimov
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(1), 162; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11010162 - 10 Jan 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2005
Abstract
In this work, the piezoresistive effect for a polymer nanocomposite with a highly segregated distribution of conductive filler was investigated. As a base polymer for the investigated nanocomposites, ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene, processed in a solid state (below melting point), was used. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes [...] Read more.
In this work, the piezoresistive effect for a polymer nanocomposite with a highly segregated distribution of conductive filler was investigated. As a base polymer for the investigated nanocomposites, ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene, processed in a solid state (below melting point), was used. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used as a nanofiller forming a highly segregated structure in between polymer particles. A numerical multiscale approach based on the finite element method was proposed to predict changes in the conductive structure composed of MWCNTs in response to uniaxial deformation of the material. At the nanoscale, numerical simulations were conducted for uniformly distributed MWCNTs providing confinement of the filler to a two-dimensional layer with a high volume fraction of the filler in between two polymer particles. At the microscale, the piezoresistive response to uniaxial deformation for the three-dimensional highly segregated structure reconstructed from experimental data was investigated numerically. The embedded element method was implemented to conduct a realistic and computationally efficient simulation of MWCNT behavior during deformation of the nanocomposite. The results of numerical simulations were compared with the experimental data to prove the correctness of assumptions used in the modeling. Full article
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