Enhancement of Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Performance and Wear Resistance of the UHMWPE/PP Blend by Constructing a Segregated Hybrid Conductive Carbon Black-Polymer Network

The low-percolation -threshold conductive networking structure is indispensable for the high performance and functional zation of conductive polymer composites (CPCs). In this work, conductive carbon black (CCB)-reinforced ultrahigh-molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/polypropylene (PP) blend with tunable electrical conductivity and good mechanical properties was prepared using a high-speed mechanical mixing method and a compression -molded process. An interconnecting segregated hybrid CCB polymer network is forined in electrically conductive UHMWPE/PP/CCB (UPC) composites. The UPC composites possess a dense conductive pathway at allow percolation threshold of 0.48 ph r. The p h 3 ph 13 gives an electrical conductivity value of 1.67 X 10-3 Sicm, 12 orders of magnitude higher than that of the polymeric matrix, suggesting that CCB improves both the electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of the composite at the loading fraction over its percolation threshold. The composite with 15 phr CCB presents an absorption -dominated electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) as high as 27.29 dB at the X-band. The composite also presents higher tribological properties, mechanical properties, and thermal stability compared to the UP blend. This effort provides a simple and effective way for the mass fabrication of CPC materials with excellent performance.

Automated summary

This study prepared conductive carbon black-reinforced ultrahigh-molecular weight polyethylene/polypropylene blend with tunable electrical conductivity and good mechanical properties using high-speed mechanical mixing method and compression-molded process. The composite exhibited excellent electrical conductivity, electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness, and mechanical properties, with absorption-dominated electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness at X-band.