Electrical, dielectric and mechanical properties of a novel Ti3AlC2/epoxy resin conductive composites

• A novel Ti3AlC2/epoxy resin (Ti3AlC2/ER) conducting polymer composites (CPCs) are successfully fabricated by adding the nanolaminated Ti3AlC2 MAX phase to the epoxy resin.
• The conductivity resistivity and dielectric constant of Ti3AlC2/ER exhibit percolation characteristics when 40 wt% of Ti3AlC2 filler is added in the ER matrix.
• It also has been found that Ti3AlC2/ER possesses high dielectric properties with frequency independence and high mechanical properties (flexural strength and modulus reaches 62.5 MPa and 3.02 GPa respectively).

A nanolaminated Ti3AlC2 powder was used to reinforce epoxy resin (EP) to fabricate conductive polymer composites (CPCs). Properties including electrical resistivity, dielectric constant, dielectric loss and flexural strength of the prepared composites have been measured. The results showed that with a critical fraction of 40 wt% of Ti3AlC2 filler in the EP matrix, both the electrical and dielectric properties exhibited percolation characteristics. Dielectric properties of Ti3AlC2/EP showed frequency independent behavior in the range of 103–106 Hz as Ti3AlC2 filler content was below 40 wt%. With the increasing critic content of Ti3AlC2 filler in the EP matrix, the flexural strength and modulus of the CPCs reached a highest value of 62.5 MPa and 3.02 GPa, respectively.