Effect on ion dissociation in MWCNT-based polymer nanocomposite

Polymer nanocomposite has been proven to improve the property of polymer salt complex. Organo-modified clay and inorganic oxides are the most commonly used filler for polymer nanocomposite (PNC). However, single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) are becoming popular filler for PNC for their high surface area and high mechanical stability. In this work, a series of PNC sample has been prepared by using polyethylene oxide (PEO)-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) blend as polymer matrix, an optimized salt stoichiometry of Ö/Li ~15, and surface-modified MWCNT as filler. The effect of ion-polymer and ion-MWCNT interaction in the polymer nanocomposite has been investigated by using XRD, SEM, FTIR, and electrical study. X-ray diffraction pattern confirms the dispersion of MWCNT inside the polymer chain and modifies the structural parameter of the polymer matrix. FTIR spectra indicate inclusion of MWCNT inside the polymer salt complex which changes the ion dissociation/association in the polymer host matrix. Further, the changes in structural, thermal, and electrical property of the polymer salt complex system have been studied by using SEM, DSC, and impedance analysis. Dc conductivity study shows that optimized PNC sample has conductivity of 8.04 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹. This is almost two order enhancement from pure polymer salt system (10⁻⁶ S cm⁻¹).