Synergistic effect of carbon nanotubes and carbon black on electrical conductivity of PA6/ABS blend

In this work, conductive fillers of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon black (CB), and hybrid CNTs/CB were introduced into polyamide 6/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PA6/ABS) blend to prepare different conductive composites, respectively. The dispersion states of conductive fillers and the morphologies of the composites were characterized using a scanning electron microscope. The theological properties and crystallization behaviors of representative samples were investigated using a rheometer and a differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. The electrical resistivity of different composites was measured and the results showed that CNTs and CB exhibited a synergistic effect in decreasing the electrical resistivity of the composites due to the selective distribution of both CNTs and CB in the PA6 phase and the formation of cocontinuous morphology. Furthermore, the effect of adding CNTs (or CB) on the electrical conductivity of composites already containing CB (or CNTs) was comparatively investigated. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.