Conductive Plastics with Hybrid Materials

Hybrid materials of conducting polyaniline (PANi) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesized using an in situ polymerization method. The resulting CNTs with a thin layer of PANi coating were further compounded with polypropylene to produce electrically conductive composite material. The PANi coating was found to enhance the CNT dispersion in PP. An amphiphilic component was also used as a surfactant to further enhance the dispersion. With these methods and materials, a conductivity of 26 S cm⁻¹ was obtained. The conductivity of the hybrid material far exceeded that of the separately compounded mixture and of that prepared of lower aspect ratio conductive materials: carbon nanofibers and carbon black. The level of conductivity qualifies the material for use in applications requiring electromagnetic interference shielding. By adjusting the PANi loading, the conductivity can be tuned down to obtain materials suitable for electrostatic discharge applications.