Highly conductive polymer composites based on controlled agglomeration of carbon nanotubes

This paper reports an innovative approach to enhance electrical conductivity of fiber composites based on non-conductive fiber and polymer matrix. The dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is carried out using a fiber sizing agent which contains uniformly distributed CNTs. The infusion of the sizing agent into the fiber preform prior to resin infusion gives rise to high agglomeration of CNTs on the fiber surface and results in electrical conductivities of 2–3 orders of magnitude higher than those of specimens prepared by a calendering approach.