The synergistic effect on the thermomechanical and electrical properties of carbonaceous hybrid polymer nanocomposites

In this work, nanocomposites, based on linear low-density polyethylene (mLLDPE), produced by metallocene catalyst, were prepared and experimentally investigated by means of thermomechanical-electrical properties and Raman spectroscopy. In particular, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), tensile and creep testing have been carried out. Several types of carbonaceous nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and graphene nano-fillers (GO), which have attracted significant attention for a variety of applications, were employed for the preparation of hybrid and non-hybrid nanocomposites at various loadings. It was found that the simultaneous incorporation of two different nanofiller types into a polymeric matrix, revealed better thermomechanical performance, while in particular the combination of CNTs and GO exhibited a synergistic effect between the nanofillers, supported also by BDS and Raman results. Therefore, the results of the present study offer a new perspective for the potential of mLLDPE/hybrid nanocomposites in targeted applications.