Polymer Carbon Nanotube Composites

Cor Koning, Marie-Claire Hermant, Nadia Grossiord

• IntroductionComposite MaterialsAltered Behavior of Nano-FillersCarbon Nanotubes and Composites ThereofPercolation Theory for RodsScope of This BookToolbox for Dispersing Carbon Nanotubes into Polymers to Get Electrically Conductive NanocompositesGeneral IntroductionIncorporation of CNTs into a Polymer Matrix: A ChallengeUltrasoundCNT PurificationMethods to Disperse Individual CNTs in a Polymer MatrixConclusionsTailoring and Monitoring the Sonication-Driven Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes in Aqueous Surfactant SolutionsIntroductionCharacterization of the Bundling of CNT Aqueous Dispersions in General; Monitoring of the Debundling Process in Particular: A Short Overview of Suitable Characterization TechniquesOptimization of the CNT Debundling Parameters to Make Conductive CNT/Polymer Nanocomposites with UV-Vis SpectroscopyFood for Thought: A Critic of Purification of SWCNTsCentrifugation of Aqueous Surfactant-CNT DispersionsConclusionsAspects of Processing Methods and Conditions Affecting Percolation NetworksSegregated Networks and Dynamic PercolationThe Role of the Matrix Viscosity: Molecular Weight Distributions and Processing TemperaturesProcessing Techniques and Percolation ThresholdsConclusionsOn the Versatility of the Latex-Based Process Regarding the Choice of the Polymer Matrix of the NanocompositeIntroduction Semi-Crystalline Polypropylene Matrix Polymer Blends Conclusions Manipulating the Percolation of CNTs Using Hybrid Composite SystemsIntroductionEliminating Non-Contact ResistivityGeneral ConclusionsFuture PerspectivesIntroduction: Toward Large-Scale ProductionFood for Thought: Possible Applications of CNT/Polymer Composites? What’s Next?Index

"These authors are leading researchers and have done a great service to the community by capturing the current understanding of carbon nanotube polymer nanocomposites. Active research in industry and academia alike will find this book a timely and valuable resource, particularly as it pertains to electrical conductivity of these fascinating materials."—Prof. Karen I. Winey - University of Pennsylvania, USA"Carbon nanotubes are promising conductive fillers for a variety of applications from organic electronics to electrostatic dissipation of composites. This book provides a valuable review on the processing of nanotube dispersions and composites. An emphasis is given to the "latex technology", one of the most efficient approaches to achieve conductive networks of nanotubes. This book will be of great interest to a broad readership in chemistry, physics and materials science in both academia and industry."—Dr. Philippe Poulin - Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, France