A novel low-melting-point alloy-loaded polymer composite. I. Effect of processing temperature on the electrical properties and morphology

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 77; no. 5; pp. 1044 - 1050
• Main Authors: Zhang, Xiangwu, Pan, Yi, Shen, Lie, Zheng, Qiang, Yi, Xiaosu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-08-2000
• Subjects: dispersion; electrical property; low-melting-point alloy; morphology; processing temperature
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-4628(20000801)77:5<1044::AID-APP11>3.0.CO;2-D

Sn–Pb alloy‐loaded polystyrene (PS) composites were processed by powder mixing and hot pressing. For the composites hot‐pressed at the temperatures below the melting point of the alloy, the resistivity dropped sharply if the alloy volume fraction reached 20 vol %. When the composites were processed at temperatures above the melting point, such phenomenon disappeared. According to the SEM and energy dispersive analysis X‐ray (EDAX) analyses, the size and dispersion of Sn–Pb alloy particles in composites changed when the hot‐pressing temperature reached the melting point of the alloy, which resulted in the different forms of resistivity–filler volume fraction curves. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 1044–1050, 2000