Thermophysical and electrical characterization of PVC-SWNT nanocomposites

The concentration dependence of the thermophysical and electrical behavior of composites, based on PVC filled with (SWNT) up to 3.65 vol.% have been investigated. The composites were prepared in the form of thin films with random orientation of SWNT. The obtained value of electrical percolation threshold was as low as 0.0072. Thermal conductivity was obtained by measuring thermophysical parameters diffusivity and effusivity using photoacoustic technique. The composites exhibit approximate to 150% improvement in the thermal conductivity at 3.65 vol.%. The experimental results were analyzed using Nielsen model. The aspect ratio was determined from electrical conductivity measurements and used as an input parameter in the Nielsen model. We obtained good agreement between our results and the predictions of the Nielsen model at thermal conductivity = 45 W/mK of the SWNT fillers. The results indicate that the high aspect ratio of SWNT fillers should be preserved to achieve further enhancement. Crown Copyright (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.