Electrical resistivity and rheological behaviors of carbon nanotubes-filled polypropylene composites

The influence of carbon nanotube (CNT) contents on electrical and rheological properties of CNTs-reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites was studied. As a result, the volume resistivity of the composites was decreased with increasing the CNT content and the electrical percolation threshold was formed between I and 2 wt% CNTs, which were caused by the formation of conductive chains in the composites. And the viscosity of the composites was increased with the addition of CNTs, which was accompanied by an increase in elastic melt properties (C). This could be explained by the higher aspect ratio of the CNTs. And the composites containing more than 2 wt% CNTs exhibited non-Newtonian curves at low frequency. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.