Single-walled carbon nanotube/poly(methyl methacrylate) composites for electromagnetic interference shielding

• Published in: Polymer engineering and science Vol. 49; no. 8; pp. 1627 - 1634
• Main Authors: Das, Narayan Ch, Liu, Yayong, Yang, Kaikun, Peng, Weiqun, Maiti, Spandan, Wang, Howard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-08-2009; Wiley; Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Carbon; Composite materials; Composites; Composition; Control; Electric properties; Electromagnetic interference; Electromagnetics; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Nanotubes; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Polymethyl methacrylate; Polymethylmethacrylate; Technology of polymers; United States; Electrical conductivity; Electrical properties; Methyl methacrylate polymer; Carbon nanotubes; Mechanical properties; Dispersion reinforced material; Tensile property; Electromagnetic shielding; Experimental study; Frequency effect; Composite material; Thickness; Singlewalled nanotube; Shielding effect; Concentration effect
• ISSN: 0032-3888; 1548-2634
• DOI: 10.1002/pen.21384

Single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composites were prepared using coagulation method. The electrical conductivity and the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding of SWNT/PMMA composites over the X‐band (8–12 GHz) and the microwave (200–2000 MHz) frequency range have been investigated. The electrical conductivity of composites increases with SWNT loading by 13 orders of magnitude, from 10−15 to 10−2 Ω−1 cm−1 with a percolation threshold of about 3 wt% SWNTs. The effect of the sample thickness on the shielding effectiveness has been studied, and correlated to the electrical conductivity of composites. The data suggest that SWNT/PMMA composites containing higher SWNT loading (above 10 wt%) be useful for EMI shielding and those with lower SWNT loading be useful for electrostatic charge dissipation. The dominant shielding mechanism of SWNT/PMMA composites was also discussed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers