Thermal conductivity of polypropylene-based composites with multiwall carbon nanotubes with different diameter and morphology

Polypropylene-based composites filled with multiwall carbon nanotubes were prepared using twin-screw extrusion technique. Two types of nanotubes with different diameter, morphology and defectiveness were used as fillers. Influence of MWNT surface composition on properties of the composite was investigated for oxidized nanotubes. Thermal conductivity (TC) of MWNT/PP composites with different MWNT concentration was investigated, showing strong dependence of TC value on the MWNT type and structure, and MWNT content in composite. TC value of 0.55-0.6 W/m x K was achieved for MWNT/PP samples filled with 16 wt.% of low-defective MWNTs with mean diameter 22 nm. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.