Electrical Properties of Polymer-Grafted Carbon Nanotubes

• Published in: Electronics and communications in Japan Vol. 99; no. 6; pp. 51 - 57
• Main Author: HAYASHIDA, KENICHI
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2016
• Subjects: Alternating current; Carbon nanotubes; dielectric property; Dielectrics; Direct current; Electrical insulation; Electrical properties; Grafting; multiwalled carbon nanotube; Nanocomposites; polymer nanocomposite
• ISSN: 1942-9533; 1942-9541
• DOI: 10.1002/ecj.11826

SUMMARY Poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate)s (PCHMAs) were grafted on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using surface‐initiated polymerization technique. The electrical properties of the PCHMA‐grafted CNTs (PCHMA‐CNTs) were systematically measured under direct current (dc) and alternating current (ac), and compared with those of conventional nanocomposites prepared by blending PCHMA with CNT (PCHMA/CNT). At a comparable volume fraction of CNT, PCHMA‐CNT has a dc volume resistivity 15 orders of magnitude higher than PCHMA/CNT. This excellent electrical insulation of PCHMA‐CNT is achieved by the perfect isolation of individual CNTs owing to the high molecular weight PCHMAs densely grafted on the CNTs. The highly insulated PCHMA‐CNT showed the same ac frequency dependence of impedance as neat PCHMA. This means that PCHMA‐CNT is a dielectric. The dielectric performance of PCHMA‐CNT was evaluated by comparing with that of a barium titanate‐filled PCHMA composite.