A facile approach towards fabrication of lightweight biodegradable poly (butylene succinate)/carbon fiber composite foams with high electrical conductivity and strength. (3rd May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kuang, Tairong; Ju, Jiajun; Yang, Zheyu; Geng, Lihong; Peng, Xiangfang
• Is Part Of: Composites science and technology. Volume 159(2018)
• Page Start: 171
• Page End: 179
• Publication Date: 2018-05-03
• Subjects: Carbon fibres -- Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs) -- Recycling -- Electrical properties -- Strength; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Composite materials; Fibrous composites; Periodicals; 620.118
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2018.02.021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0266-3538

Abstract

Abstract: Lightweight electrically conductive biodegradable polymer composites have been considered as a promising environmental-friendly alternative to replace the traditional petroleum-based CPCs because of the economic and ecological drawbacks of petroleum-based plastics. Herein, we demonstrated a facile and effective way to fabricate poly (butylene succinate) (PBS)/carbon fiber (CF) composites foams with lightweight, high-strength and improved conductive networks through the combination of solvent mixing, micro-injection molding and supercritical carbon dioxide (Sc-CO2 ) foaming methods. Results showed that the resulting composite foams possessed much higher electrical conductivity (the percolation threshold decreased from 3.6 to 7.4 to 1.04–2.37 vol%), suggesting that the introduction of foaming technique could be beneficial for the formation of effective 3D conductivity networks. The composite foams presented a good compressive strength and a low density (reduced around ∼50%). Moreover, effects of different length and content of CF on the mechanical and thermal performance, rheological behavior, foaming properties and electrical conductivities of PBS/CF composites have been investigated.