Solution Based Synthesis of Copper Nanowire/Polymer Composites and Their Electrical Properties

Abstract

Conductive polymer composites (CPCs) are intensively researched partly because of their advantages in acting as conductive materials while maintaining polymers’ properties such as easy processability, corrosion resistance and light weight. This thesis focuses on using copper nanowires (CuNW) as filler, with different polymers as matrices, in order to study the influence of filler loading, the interaction between filler and matrix on the electrical properties and the electromagnetic interference shielding properties of the composites. CPCs with CuNW as filler and different polymers as matrices were successfully prepared using miscible solution mixing and precipitation method. Among these composites, copper nanowire/polypropylene (CuNW/PP) composite is investigated primarily and compared with carbon nanotube/polypropylene composite. The conductivity curve of CuNW/PP composite shows a different trend than typical percolation, where a plateau was found around CuNW concentration between 0.8 vol. % and 1.7 vol. %. Further study regarding synthesis of CuNW is also reported.