Fabrication and electrical conducting behavior of carbon nanofiber reinforced high-density polyethylene/polystyrene nanocomposites with low percolation yhreshold

Ternary high-density polyethylene/polystyrene/carbon nanofiber nano composites were fabricated by melt-compounding. The effect of melt compounding sequences on electrical conducting behavior of such composites was examined. Two compounding sequences were adopted in this study. Route I consisted of an initial melt mixing of HDPE and PS, followed by blending with CNFs. Route II involved an initial formation of the PS/CNF master batch, followed by blending with HDPE. The results showed that CNFs were dispersed in HDPE phase of Route I prepared HDPE/PS/CNF nanocomposites whilst they resided in PS phase of Route II formed nanocomposites. Electrical measurement showed that Route II prepared nanocomposites had a low percolation concentration of 1.1 vol% CNF.