INVESTIGATION OF STRUCTURE-PROPERTY RELATIONSHIPS IN THERMOPLASTIC POLYURETHANE / MULTIWALLED CARBON NANOTUBE COMPOSITES

In this study, the structure-property relationships in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filled with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were investigated. Firstly, the contribution of MWCNTs to the melt shear viscosity and the pressure-volume-temperature (pVT) behavior was investigated. Secondly, injection-molded samples and 2 mm diameter filaments of TPU/MWCNT composites were fabricated and their mechanical and electrical properties analyzed. It was found that the melt processability of TPU/MWCNT composites is not affected by the addition of a small amount (1-5 wt.%) of MWCNTs, all composites displaying shear-thinning at high shear rates. The mechanical and electrical properties of the TPU/MWCNT composites were substantially enhanced with the addition of MWCNTs. However, the conductivity values of composites processed by injection molding were two and three orders of magnitude lower than those of composites processed by extrusion, highlighting the role of melt shear viscosity on the dispersion and agglomeration of nanotubes.