Sa. Gordeyev et al., A promising conductive material: highly oriented polypropylene. filled with short vapour-grown carbon fibres, MATER LETT, 51(1), 2001, pp. 32-36
Polypropylene matrix composites in the form of a continuous, fibre, reinfor
ced with submicron vapour-grown carbon fibre (VGCF), were prepared using a
conventional polymer fibre processing technology. It has been found that ma
terials with a unique set of mechanical and electrical properties can be ob
tained by combining polymer orientation and VGCF content. As-spun composite
s have Young's moduli of 3.0-6.3 GPa, tensile strengths of 40-77 MPa, and e
lectrical resistivities down to 2.2 x 10(-2) Omega m. The spun samples may
be stretched at 130 degreesC with a concomitant increase in the modulus and
strength up to 720 MPa. and 14.9 GPa, respectively. The stretched composit
e fibre filled with 15 vol.% of VGCF shows tensile strength of 310 MPa and
Young's modulus of 11.2 GPa, being still electrically conductive. (C) 2001
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