Influence of Electron Beam Irradiation on the Thermal, Mechanical, and Electrical Properties of Polyethylene/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposite Films

We report the effects of electron beam (EB) irradiation on the thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of nanocomposite films, based on polyethylene (PE) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), manufactured by solid mixing and melt-compression. For this purpose, the MWCNT content in the nanocomposite films was controlled to 1-10 wt% and the EB irradiation dose was 1-150 kGy. It was found that the melting temperature and enthalpy of pristine PE and its nanocomposite film were improved on using low EB doses of 1 and 10 kGy because of irradiation-induced heating and crosslinking. In contrast, high EB doses of 50 and 150 kGy led to significant reduction in the melting temperature and enthalpy as well crystallization temperature and enthalpy of the films because of chain scission or degradation. The electrical resistivity of the nanocomposite films decreased from ${\sim}10^{10}$ to ${\sim}10^1{\Omega}\;cm$ on increasing the MWCNT content, and regardless of the EB irradiation dose, electrical percolation of MWCNTs in the PE matrix was attained at a MWCNT content between 3 and 5 wt%. Accordingly, PE/MWCNT nanocomposite films with low electrical resistivity of $10^2-10^1{\Omega}\;cm$, which were subjected to moderate EB irradiation doses, exhibit excellent electric heating behavior, which depends on the applied voltage and MWCNT content.

폴리에틸렌/다중벽 탄소나노튜브 나노복합필름의 열적, 기계적 및 전기적 물성에 전자빔 조사가 미치는 영향