Synergistic effect of adding graphene nanoplates and carbon nanotubes in polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene copolymer blend

Hybrid nanocomposites of graphene nanoplates (GNP) and multi-wall carbons nanotubes (MWCNT) might balance the best properties of these nanofillers and proportion synergistic effects to some specific properties as the electromagnetic shielding efficiency (EMI SE). These nanocomposites are being studied in many polymer matrixes, and a promising one should be the blend of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene copolymer (ABS) that are applied mainly in the electronics industry. In this work, the hybrid nanocomposites of GNP/MWCNT in a PC/ABS/ABS-g-MAH polymer blend matrix were prepared by melt mixing, using extrusion and injection molding. The rheological, electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical properties were analyzed to clarify the effect of using individually and both fillers. The morphologies of the hybrid nanocomposites revealed that the fillers were close to each other at the polymer matrix, interacting and forming some hybrid agglomerates. The effect of these hybrids agglomerates was confirmed as a deviation to solid-like behavior (G ' > G '') in the rheological analyses, and the electrical percolation threshold was only achieved for the hybrid nanocomposites with higher content of nanofillers, 5 wt% of GNP and 1 wt% of MWCNT with electrical resistivity of 10(6) omega cm. The same composition had a synergetic effect on the EMI SE properties (11 dB at 8.4 GHz), with a higher attenuation by absorption component, also in the dynamical mechanical, thermal behavior, increasing the Storage modulus and the statical mechanical properties increasing the shore D hardness, the elastic modulus, and ultimate tensile strength. The hybrid nanocomposites of GNP/MWCNT were promising materials for electronic housing with EMI SE properties.