Enhancing the electrical conductivity of carbon black/graphite nanoplatelets: Poly(ethylene-butyl acrylate) composites by melt extrusion

Journal article, 2016

The influence of processing parameters such as screw geometry, temperature profile, and screw speed on the electrical properties of hybrid composites consisting of graphite nanoplatelets and carbon black in ethyl butyl acrylate was studied. Two different screws were used to compound the hybrid composites at two different temperatures and two different screw speeds. A beneficial effect was noted with regard to the electrical properties when adding nanoplatelets to the filler system. The cause could be a synergistic effect due to the difference in particle shape of the two fillers. Lower percolation thresholds were obtained with the conventional screw due to less breakage of the graphite nanoplatelets compared to the barrier screw. No significant changes of the electrical properties were observed when changing the temperature profiles or the screw speeds. Furthermore, the melt viscosity of the compounds was not appreciably affected at the rather low filler contents used here.