Electrical and mechanical properties of phenoxy/multiwalled carbon nanotubes multifilament yarn processed by melt spinning

Nanocomposites based on Poly ((hydroxy ether) of bisphenol A) (Phenoxy) filled with multiwalled carbon nanotubes has been prepared by extrusion. Rheological behaviour and thermal degradation of these nanocomposites have been studied by melt flow index and thermogravimetric analysis. The results show that the addition of carbon nanotubes up to 2wt% increases the viscosity but does not modify significantly the spinnability of the compounds. Moreover, incorporation of these nanofillers allows an improvement of the thermal decomposition. In a second step, these nanocomposites have been processed by melt spinning to produce multifilament yarn. Transmission electron microscopy observations have been done to study carbon nanotubes dispersion and orientation. Nanocomposite morphology correlated with electrical measurements reveal an electrical percolation around 1.5 wt.% without decreasing significantly mechanical properties.