Thermal Conductivity and mechanical Properties of Composites based on Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes and Styrenebutadiene Rubber

The thermal conductivity, stress-strain behavior and dynamic-mechanical analysis of multiwall carbon nanotube / styrene-butadiene rubber composites have been investigated. The composites, prepared by solution processing using a simple sonication, contain different amounts of carbon nanotubes: 0.5, 1, 3, 5 and 10 phr ("phr" = parts by weight per hundred parts of rubber). While modest increase in thermal conductivity of the composite is observed by incorporation of carbon nanotubes in the elastomeric matrix, strong increase in stiffness are revealed by the stress-strain and the dynamic-mechanical measurements.