Electrical Conductivity and Morphology of Polyamide6/Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Copolymer Blends with Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes: A Case Study

The effect of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on the bulk electrical conductivity and phase morphology of melt-mixed blends of polyamide 6 (PA6)/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) has been investigated in this work. The bulk electrical conductivity of the blends with MWNTs was strongly dependent on the selective localization of MWNTs in the PA6 phase of the blends. Further, the selective localization of MWNTs in the PA6 phase led to a significant change in the phase morphology. The dual phase continuity was broader over a much larger composition range in the presence of MWNTs. In order to facilitate 3D “network-like” structure of MWNTs in the blends, a unique reactive modifier has been utilized. Significant changes in both bulk electrical conductivity and phase morphology have been found in the presence of modified MWNTs in the blends. An attempt has been made to understand the varying electrical conductivity in these blends through the alteration of phase morphology along with “aggregated” versus “uniform” dispersion of MWNTs in unmodified and modified MWNTs-based blends.