Investigating mechanical, electrical and morphological properties of polycarbonate/polyacrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene/nanographene nanocomposites

Research subject:

 Polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene alloy is one of the most widely used polymer alloys in the world, which has become very widespread due to the excellent properties and characteristics of these alloys as well as other advantages. However, it seems that strengthening the properties and efficiency of these alloys can increase their scope of application. Typically, polymers have a high resistance to the passage of electricity. In recent years, increasing the electrical conductivity or reducing the electrical resistance of polymers by using conductive nanoparticles has received much attention.

Research approach:

 For this purpose, first, alloys of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene were prepared by melt mixing method and were tested and evaluated in terms of physical and mechanical properties, thermal properties and behavior of the melt. Next, by adding nanographene to the best alloy, the electrical, mechanical and morphological properties of nanocomposites were investigated. In order to increase the electrical conductivity of nanocomposites, different amounts of nanographene (1, 2 and 3%) were used.

By increasing the amount of polycarbonate, tensile strength and modulus, flexural strength and modulus, and HDT of the alloys increased. The results showed that the alloy with 68% polycarbonate generally has better properties than other alloys, so this alloy was considered as the polymer base of nanocomposites. The results of the mechanical test show an increase in the tensile strength and tensile modulus of the samples with an increase in the percentage of nanoparticles. Also, the examination of the electrical resistance of nanocomposites showed that in all samples, nanographene has been able to reduce the electrical resistance of the polymer to a very significant extent. By examining the mechanical and electrical properties of the samples, it was determined that the Percolation threshold of nanoparticles is equal to 2%. The FE-SEM images of the nanocomposites showed that the graphene nanoparticles were well dispersed in the polymer matrix and no traces of clumps or clusters resulting from the accumulation of nanoparticles were observed.