Solid-state shear pulverization/melt-mixing methods and related polymer-carbon nanotube composites
Methods using solid-state shear pulverization and melt mixing and related polymer-carbon nanotube composites, as can be used to affect various mechanical and/or physical material properties.
1. A polymer composition comprising a polymer component and carbon nanotubes dispersed therein, said composition solventless and substantially absent agglomeration of said nanotubes, said dispersion characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and the absence of nanotube agglomeration at micron length scales under conditions of said microscopy.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said carbon nanotubes comprise about 0.1 wt. % to about 10.0 wt. % of said composition.
3. The composition of claim 1 comprising multi-walled carbon nanotubes.
4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said polymer component is selected from homopolymers and copolymers thereof.
5. The composition of claim 4 wherein said polymer component is selected from polyolefins and copolymers of said polyolefins.
6. The composition of claim 5 wherein said polymer component comprises an unoriented, isotactic polypropylene.
7. The composition of claim 6 comprising multi-walled carbon nanotubes.
8. The composition of claim 1 incorporated into an article of manufacture.
9. A composite comprising a solid-state shear pulverization product of a polymer component and a carbon nanotube component, said polymer component selected from homopolymers and copolymers thereof, said composite absent nanotube agglomeration.
10. The composite of claim 9 wherein said carbon nanotubes comprise about 0.1 weight percent to about 10.0 weight percent of said composite.
11. The composite of claim 9 comprising multi-walled carbon nanotubes.
12. The composite of claim 9 wherein said polymer component is selected from polyolefins and copolymers thereof.
13. A composite of claim 12 wherein said polymer component is a polypropylene.
14. The composite of claim 13 comprising multi-walled carbon nanotubes.