Current Advances in the Carbon Nanotube/Thermotropic Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymer Nanocomposites and Their Blends

Polymers

Henry Kuo Feng Cheng²  Tanya Basu²  Nanda Gopal Sahoo¹  Lin Li² 

[1] Energy Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Drive, 637553, SingaporeSchool of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore;

关键词: liquid crystalline polymer;    carbon nanotube;    nanocomposite;    blend;   

DOI  :  10.3390/polym4020889

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Because of their extraordinary properties, such as high thermal stability, flame retardant, high chemical resistance and high mechanical strength, thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers (TLCPs) have recently gained more attention while being useful for many applications which require chemical inertness and high strength. Due to the recent advance in nanotechnology, TLCPs are usually compounded with nanoparticles to form particulate composites to enhance their properties, such as barrier properties, electrical properties, mechanical properties and thermal properties. Carbon-based nanofillers such as carbon nanotube (CNT), graphene and graphene oxide are the most common fillers used for the TLCP matrices. In this review, we focus on recent advances in thermotropic main-chain liquid crystalline polymer nanocomposites incorporated with CNTs. However, the biggest challenges in the preparation of CNT/TLCP nanocomposites have been shown to be inherent in the dispersion of CNTs into the TLCP matrix, the alignment and control of CNTs in the TLCP matrix and the load-transfer between the TLCP matrix and CNTs. As a result, this paper reviews recent advances in CNT/TLCP nanocomposites through enhanced dispersion of CNTs in TLCPs as well as their improved interfacial adhesion with the TLCP matrices. Case studies on the important role of chemically modified CNTs in the TLCP/thermoplastic polymer blends are also included.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2012 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.