Mechanical and electrical properties of multi-wall carbon nanotube/poly(lactic acid) composites

The preparation of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/polylactide (PLA) composites is described. High electrical conductivity can be achieved at a low carbon nanotube loading. When only 0.5 parts per hundred parts of resin (phr) modified multi-walled carbon nanotube was added to low-crystalline PLA (LC-PLA), the surface resistance of the composite fell from 5.46×1015 to 2.61×102 Ω (by 1013 order). The degree of crystallinity of PLA can influence the electrical property of MWCNT/PLA composites apparently. MWCNT dispersion was enhanced by covalent or hydrogen bonding between modified multi-walled carbon nanotube and PLA. The flexural strengths of pristine LC-PLA and 4 phr modified multi-walled carbon nanotube/LC-PLA composites are 102.3 and 120.2 MPa, respectively (representing a difference of 17.5%).