Structure-property relationship of established MWCNT network enhancing thermo-mechanical stability and electrical conductivity in TPU nanocomposites

Serafimoski, Stefan (author), Šobak, Matic (author), Vesel, Alenka (author), Slemenik Perše, Lidija (author), Oseli, Alen (author)

Enhanced thermo-mechanical stability and conductive response are essential when developing carbon nanotube/elastomer-based nanocomposites for flexible sensing applications. To improve performance of such materials, it is crucial to understand structure–property relations. By using advanced experimental approaches on multi-walled carbon nanotubes/thermoplastic polyurethane system, we were able to reveal main building blocks and network’s morphology (plasma etching and SEM); identify mechanisms of network formation, and the nature of building blocks (rheological analysis); as well as determine the impacts on the thermo-mechanical (thermal and viscoelastic analysis) and conductive (electrical analysis) performance of such nanocomposites. Results showed that the network is in majority constructed from MWCNT bundles. The inherent nature of elastomeric system forces bundles and network to retain random distribution. Bundles may be considered as stiff rod-like Brownian entities, which geometrically entangle at volume fraction of ▫$\phi_{V, c}^G$▫ ∼ 0.46 %, indicating network formation. The network was considered as fully established at concentration of ▫$\phi_{V, c}^{CP}$▫ ∼ 1 %, as cross-over point of dynamic moduli. Finally, it was found that thermo-mechanical and conductive performance of the nanocomposite corresponds to the fully established network (and not network formation), allowing force (∼10× increase of moduli), and electron (∼108× increase of conductivity) transfer, while improving thermo-mechanical stability within operating temperatures (increase of glass transition for 25 °C).

• Language: English
• Keywords: carbon nanotubes, elastomer-based nanocomposites, network formation and morphology, rheological analysis, thermo-mechanical analysis, electrical conductivity analysis
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 260, [article no.] 115126
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-176112
• UDC: 621
• ISSN on article: 1873-4197
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.115126
• COBISS.SI-ID: 258201347
• Publication date in RUL: 21.11.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Materials & design
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• ISSN: 1873-4197
• COBISS.SI-ID: 56288771

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: ogljikove nanocevke, nanokompoziti na bazi elastomera, formiranje in morfologija omrežja nanocevk, reološka analiza, termo-mehanska analiza, analiza električne prevodnosti

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0264
• Name: Trajnostni Polimerni materiali in Tehnologije