Rheological properties of conductive polymer composite (CPC) filled with double percolated network of carbon nanoparticles and boron nitride powder

In this study, double percolated network of carbon nanoparticles and ceramics powder is used to uncouple electrical and thermal conductivity of polymer composite. The influence of ceramic powders on morphological properties of a biphasic conductive polymer composite (CPC) is investigated by means of rheological measurements. The biphasic materials studied are blends of a thermally conductive polymer phase (syndiotactic poly(styrene) (sPS) filled with boron nitride (BN)) with an electrically conductive polymer phase (high-density poly(ethylene) (hdPE) filled with nano-structured carbon black (NCB)) into a co-continuous structure. The elastic modulus (with viscous modulus) was found to be the most sensitive rheological property to accurately detect the co-continuous morphology in our system. It was found to be at 40% v/v of hdPE-NCB, which can be interpreted as the phase inversion.