Properties of nanocomposites based on sulfonated poly(styrene-b-ethylenebutylene-b-styrene) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Nanocomposites, based on poly(styrene-b-ethylenebutylene-b-styrene) (SEBS) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), were prepared and their electrical, thermal and mechanical properties were investigated. In order to facilitate the dispersion of MWCNTs, pristine MWCNT was reduced into anions and sulfonated SEBS (S-SEBS) or ionomers of S-SEBS was prepared. Nanocomposites based on S-SEBS or ionomers of S-SEBS and the modified MWCNTs showed threshold percolation of MWCNTs with a lower MWCNT content compared to those based on SEBS and MWCNTs. The efficient percolation of the MWCNT in the nanocomposites was attributed to the interactions between ionic moieties and the finely dispersed MWCNT. It was postulated that double percolation will result, due to the interactions in the microphase separated morphologies of the S-SEBS or ionomers of S-SEBS, as well as a decrease in the percolation threshold of the MWCNTs in the nanocomposites based on S-SEBS or ionomers of S-SEBS.