Electrical conductivity of natural rubber–cellulose II nanocomposites

• Study of the conductivity behaviour of natural rubber–cellulose nanocomposites
• Analysis of the time/frequency temperature correspondence for the ac conductivity
• Cell nanoparticles preserve the inherent good insulating properties of natural rubber.

Nanocomposite materials obtained from natural rubber (NR) reinforced with different amounts of cellulose II (cell) nanoparticles (in the range of 0 to 30 phr) are studied by dielectric spectroscopy (DS) in a broad temperature range (− 150 to 150 °C). For comparative purposes, the pure materials, NR and cell, are also investigated. An analysis of the cell content effect on the conductive properties of the nanocomposites was carried out. The dielectric spectra exhibit conductivity phenomena at low frequencies and high temperatures: Maxwell–Wagner–Sillars (MWS) and electrode polarization (EP) conductive processes were observed in the nanocomposite samples.