Effects of hybrid fillers on the electrical conductivity and EMI shielding efficiency of polypropylene/conductive filler composites

Abstract

In this study, the effects of hybrid fillers on the electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency (EMI SE) of the polypropylene (PP)/Ni-coated carbon fiber (NCCF) composites with the second fillers, such as multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), carbon black and TiO2, were investigated. The morphological behavior showed that the NCCF and the second fillers, such as MWCNT, carbon black and TiO2, seemed to disperse evenly in the PP phase. Among the PP/NCCF composites with MWCNT, carbon black and TiO2, the PP/NCCF/TiO2 composites showed the higher electrical conductivity and EMI SE compared with those of the PP/NCCF/MWCNT and PP/NCCF/carbon black composites. This was the case because TiO2 has high dielectric constant with dominant dipolar polarization. The estimated EMI SE values of the PP/NCCF composites with MWCNT, carbon black and TiO2 are in good agreement with the experimentally obtained values of the composites. Based on the electrical properties of the composites, it was suggested that TiO2 was the most effective second filler when it was hybridized with the NCCF of the PP/NCCF/TiO2 composite. Based on the analysis of the flexural modulus, the PP/NCCF/MWCNT composite had a higher flexural modulus than the PP/NCCF/TiO2 and PP/NCCF/carbon black composites because of the higher aspect ratio of the MWCNT.