PREPARATION AND ANALYSES OF MULTIWALLED CARBON NANOTUBES/POLY (METHYL METHACRYLATE)/POLY (BUTYLENE TERPHTHALATE) BLEND

The solid films of Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/Poly (butylene terephthalate) (PBT) blend and functionalized carbon nanotubes (F-MWNTs)/PMMA/PBT were prepared via solution casting technique. During functionalization, the aromatic amine (COC6H4NH2) groups were introduced on the surface of carbon nanotubes via Fridel Craft acylation. The morphological study showed that the PMMA and PBT were immiscible. The polarized optical microscope (POM) study illustrated that the size of spherulites were decreased by the addition of F-MWNTs into the PMMA/PBT blend. The thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) presented that the thermal properties of PMMA/PBT was slightly enhanced by incorporating of F-MWNTs into polymer blend. The mechanical properties like tensile strength and tensile moduli of F-MWNTs/PMMA/PBT ternary blend were improved while elongation at break was decreased as compared to PMMA/PBT blends.