Morphology and conduction properties of graphite‐filled immiscible PVDF/PPgMA blends

Abstract

Graphite was dispersed in immiscible polyvinylidene fluoride/maleated polypropylene (PVDF/PPgMA) blends to improve electrical and thermal conductive properties by building a double‐percolation structure. The morphology of PVDF/PPgMA blends was first investigated for several compositions by selective solvent extraction, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. Blends of PVDF and PPgMA were prepared in different relative fractions, and a PVDF/PPgMA ratio of 7/3 showed a well‐co‐continuous structure. From this blend, the morphology and properties of composites with different concentrations of graphite were investigated to prepare double‐percolated structures. Graphite was observed to selectively localize in the PPgMA phase. The electrical and thermal conductive properties of graphite‐containing blends were measured, showing enhanced conductivity for the double‐percolation structures compared with single‐polymer composites containing the same graphite loadings. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.