In this study, amine functionalized carbon black (ABCB) was synthesized using 4-aminobenzoic acid in a phosphoric acid (PPA)/phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) medium, and silver-attached carbon black (Ag-ABCB) was prepared by reducing AgNO3 with NaBH4 in the presence of ABCB in ethanol. Elemental, thermogravimetric, and Fourier transform-infrared analyses showed that carbon black (CB) had a well-functionalized 4-aminobenzoic acid. In addition, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to examine the crystal structure of Ag nanoparticles. Conductive fibers were prepared by melt-spinning using ABCB, Ag-ABCB as a conductive filler, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a polymer matrix. Results confirmed that the fiber that had Ag-ABCB as a conductive filler exhibited the best electrical conductivity. The dispersibility and morphology of the conductive filler in the PET matrix were confirmed through scanning electron microscopy analysis, and Ag-ABCB was the most uniformly dispersed filler in the PET matrix, with good structure.
Keywords: PET; carbon black; conductive fiber; melt-spinning; silver nanoparticle.