Electrical and Mechanical Properties of the High-Permittivity Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene-Based Composite Modified by Carbon Nanotubes

Markevich, I. A.; Selyutin, G. E.; Drokin, N. A.; Selyutin, A. G. Technical Physics.DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063784220070129

A composite based on ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) added with 1 wt % of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with a high permittivity (ε = 4.5) and a low dielectric loss (tanδ = 10^–2) in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 100 MHz has been synthesized, and its main mechanical characteristics have been studied. The material has a low (22 MPa) breaking strength, a high (700%) tensile elongation, and an abrasion resistance higher than that of pure UHMWPE by 37%. It is shown using the X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry data that the changes in the mechanical properties of the composite are related to the changes in the polymer matrix structure under the action of the high-intensity ultrasonic radiation used for embedding MWCNTs into the polymer.