Enhanced electrical conductivity in polystyrene nanocomposites at ultra-low graphene content

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2011 Aug;3(8):3130-3. doi: 10.1021/am200628c. Epub 2011 Jul 20.

Abstract

We compared the electrical conductivity of multiwalled-carbon-nanotube/polystyrene and graphene/polystyrene composites. The conductivity of polystyrene increases from ∼6.7 × 10(-14) to ∼3.49 S/m, with an increase in graphene content from ∼0.11 to ∼1.1 vol %. This is ∼2-4 orders of magnitude higher than for multiwalled-carbon-nanotube/polystyrene composites. Furthermore, we show that the conductivity of the graphene/polystyrene system can be significantly enhanced by incorporation of polylactic acid. The volume-exclusion principle forces graphene into the polystyrene-rich regions (selective localization) and generates ∼4.5-fold decrease in its percolation threshold from ∼0.33 to ∼0.075 vol %.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Electric Conductivity
  • Graphite / chemistry*
  • Lactic Acid / chemistry
  • Nanocomposites / chemistry*
  • Nanocomposites / ultrastructure
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry
  • Polyesters
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Polystyrenes / chemistry*

Substances

  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Polyesters
  • Polymers
  • Polystyrenes
  • Lactic Acid
  • poly(lactide)
  • Graphite