Crystallization and reinforcement of poly (vinylidene fluoride) nanocomposites: Role of high molecular weight resin and carbon nanotubes

The effect of high molecular weight resin and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the crystallization, rheological and dynamic mechanical properties of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) composites was investigated. A synergetic effect of the high molecular weight resin and MWCNTs on the nucleation in the crystallization process of the matrix has been observed, and their contributions to the crystallization of the matrix are two-sided. The composites containing both the high molecular weight resin and MWCNTs have much higher crystallization peak temperatures but lower crystallinity, especially for samples with high MWCNT content. For the isothermal crystallization at relative high temperatures, higher Avrami exponent and shorter half-time of crystallization are observed for the composites containing both the high molecular weight resin and MWCNTs. The introduction of the high molecular weight resin not only reinforces the matrix, but also promotes the dispersion of MWCNTs. The reinforcement and synergetic nucleation effects of the high molecular weight resin and MWCNTs were also confirmed by dynamic mechanical analysis. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.