Menue

Publications

Authors Tzounis, L. ; Gärtner, T. ; Liebscher, M. ; Pötschke, P. ; Stamm, M. ; Voit, B. ; Heinrich, G.
Title Influence of a cyclic butylene terephthalate oligomer on the processability and thermoelectric properties of polycarbonate/MWCNT nanocomposites
Date 10.10.2014
Number 44350
Abstract The thermoelectric properties of melt-processed nanocomposites consisting of a polycarbonate (PC) thermoplastic matrix filled with commercially available carboxyl (–COOH) functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were evaluated. MWCNTs carrying carboxylic acid moieties (MWCNT-COOH) were used due the p-doping that the carboxyl groups facilitate, via electron withdrawing from the electron-rich p-conjugated system. Preliminary thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of MWCNT-COOH revealed that the melt-mixing was limited at low temperatures due to thermal decomposition of the MWCNT functional groups. Therefore, PC was mixed with 2.5 wt% MWCNT-COOH (PC/MWCNT-COOH) at 240 °C and 270 °C. In order to reduce the polymer melt viscosity, a cyclic butylene terephthalate (CBT) oligomer was utilized as an additive, improving additionally the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites. The melt rheological characterization of neat PC and PC/CBT blends demonstrated a significant decrease of the complex viscosity by the addition of CBT (10 wt%). Optical and transmission electron microscopy (OM, TEM) depicted an improved MWCNT dispersion in the PC/CBT polymer blend. The electrical conductivity was remarkably higher for the PC/MWCNT-COOH/CBT composites compared to the PC/MWCNT-COOH ones. Namely, the PC/MWCNT-COOH/CBT processed at 270 °C exhibited the best values with electrical conductivity; s = 0.05 S/m, Seebeck coefficient; S = 13.55 µV/K, power factor; PF = 7.60 × 10-6µW/m K-2, and thermoelectric figure of merit; ZT = 7.94 × 10-9. The PC/MWCNT-COOH/CBT nanocomposites could be ideal candidates for large-scale thermal energy harvesting, even though the presently obtained ZT values are still too low for commercial applications.
Publisher Polymer
Wikidata
Citation Polymer 55 (2014) 5381-5388
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2014.08.048
Tags multi-walled carbon nanotubes polymer nanocomposites rheology additives thermoelectric materials

Back to list