A new book titled ‘Polymer Carbon Nanotube Composites: The Polymer Latex Concept’ has been added to the list of offering of Research and Markets.
The book provides a synopsis of all existing dispersion techniques used for the dispersion of multi-walled and single-walled carbon nanotubes in thermoplastic polymer matrices, an important process for synthesizing easily processable and conductive materials with capabilities to be used as functional materials. In the chapters following the synopsis, the book describes latex technology in detail.
The versatile latex technology comprises four steps. At first, carbon nanotubes are dispersed ultrasonically in aqueous solutions containing surfactants for stabilizing the single carbon nanotubes. In the second step, the CNT dispersion is mixed with polymer latex. In the third step, water is removed using freeze drying. In the final step, the resulting powder is melt processed into thin conductive films.
The book discusses in detail about the fundamental principles of the latex technology, the significance of the intrinsic carbon nanotube quality, the matrix viscosity’s role on percolation threshold, the making of high-loaded master batches and their dilution with virgin polymer using melt-extrusion, the addition of smart surfactants for helping electron transfer in the final composite, and certain potential applications.
Conductive polymer/nanocomposites find use in several applications, especially in the areas of functional polymer systems, including EMI shielding materials, ant-static coatings and even in electronics and electrical applications, including field effect transistors.