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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Electrical conductivity properties of expanded graphite-polycarbonatediol polyurethane composites

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Conductive polymer composites of segmented polycarbonatediol polyurethane and expanded graphite (EG) have been synthesized with different amounts of EG conductive filler (from 0 to 50 wt%). SEM, X-ray diffraction measurements, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopies demonstrated a homogeneous dispersion of the EG filler in the matrix. The dielectric permittivity of the composites showed an insulator to conductor percolation transition with increase in EG content. Significant changes in the dielectric permittivity take place when the weight fraction of EG is in the range 20–30 wt%. Special attention has been paid to the dependence of the conductivity on frequency, temperature and EG content. The addition of EG to the matrix causes a dramatic increase in the electrical conductivity of 10 orders of magnitude, which is an indication of percolative behavior. A percolation threshold of ca 30 wt% was evaluated by using the scaling law of percolation theory. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry