Synthesis of poly(3-hexylthiophene)-graft-poly(t-butyl acrylate-co-acrylic acid) and its role of compatibilizer for enhancement of mechanical and electrical properties of Nylon 66/multi-walled carbon nanotube composites

A compatibilizer, poly(3-hexylthiophene)-graft-poly(t-butyl acrylate-co-acrylic acid) was synthesized, where the acrylic aid was formed by hydrolysis of t-butyl acrylate unit. It has been identified that poly(3-hexylthiophene) backbone of the compatibilizer interacts with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via pi-pi interaction and the acrylic acid unit of the graft chain interacts with Nylon 66 (N66) matrix via hydrogen bonding. When a small amount of compatibilizer was added to N66/MWCNT composites, MWCNTs were more homogeneously dispersed in N66 matrix than the case without compatibilizer. As a consequence, mechanical and electrical properties of the composites with compatibilizer were largely improved as compared with those of composites without compatibilizer. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.