Effect of Triton X-100 on MWCNT/PP composites

A nonionic surfactant, Triton X-100, was used to treat multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and the Triton X-100-treated MWCNTs (TCNTs) were then mixed with polypropylene (PP) to prepare MWCNT/PP composites, followed by characterization using scanning electron microscopic, electrical, mechanical and thermal measurements. It was found that the best usage of Triton X-100 for the treatment of MWCNTs was 80 wt% based on the MWCNTs. The TCNTs could effectively improve the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of the composites over pristine MWCNTs. The highest electrical conductivity of TCNT/PP composites was 2.1 x 10(-2) S/cm at 10% TCNTs. Both MWCNTs and TCNTs could act as nucleating agents to promote the crystallization of PP but the crystallinity of PP decreased with increasing filler's content. Both fillers caused shifting of the crystallization temperature of PP to higher temperatures. The TCNT/PP composites showed the lower crystallization temperature and lower crystallinity than the MWCNT/PP composites at the same filler's content. The mechanisms for the results have been discussed.