ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE | COMPOUNDS
Electrically conductive plastics far from static
As electronics penetrate further into every aspect of modern life demand for electrically conductive polymer compounds is on the
rise.Peter Mapleston looks at latest developments
Electrically conductive thermoplastic compounds now play an important role in industries where static accumulation, electrostatic discharge (ESD), or electromagnetic interference (EMI) are critical for the safety and performance in the applications they enable. Examples include high-end packag- ing, electronic and electrical equipment, automo- tive systems, or medical technology components. To address the specific requirements in those applications, various conductive fillers — including carbon black, carbon nanotubes, and carbon fibres as well as metal flakes and whiskers — have been used in a wide range of compounds, with electrical properties tailored to specific needs. Nanocarbon technology is becoming a key enabler in development of technologies to improve electrical conductivity in thermoplastic compounds, and we look at some of the latest developments below. But not everything is nano. In the era of the Circular Economy, scraps from production of continuous carbon fibre reinforcements for com- posites are being put to good use in new applica- tions – and one important example could be conductive compounds. And in the antistatic area, interesting progress can also be seen in the use of hydrophilic thermoplastic elastomers. Graphene nanotubes (also known as single-wall carbon nanotubes, or SWCNTs), produced by
www.compoundingworld.com
OCSiAl under the Tuball brand, can deliver a unique combination of conductivity, colour and strength to polymers. This is due to their ability to connect with each other to create a conductive, flexible and strong 3D network inside the polymer. This effect comes at nanotube addition levels as small as tenths or even hundredths of a percent in the overall compound. OCSiAl’s SWCNTs are 100 times stronger than
steel, very conductive (comparable with copper, but five times lighter) and highly flexible. The company claims to be the world’s largest producer — its current production capacity stands at 75 tonnes/yr and it plans to start up what it says will be the world’s largest graphene nanotube synthesis plant in Differdange, Luxembourg, in 2023. It already has two Tuball technical centres in China and Russia, with the next Tuball Centre due to open in Luxembourg around now. The company says Tuball nanotubes are finding their way into applications as an anti-static and rein- forcing additive in epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester, silicones, rubbers and thermoplastics. It cites glove coating, conveyor belts, flexible ventilation ducting, artificial leather, and electrostatic dissipative (ESD) flooring. “Adding 0.25-2.0 wt% of Tuball Matrix 814 beta nanotube concentrate to a PVC plastisol formulation results in stable and homogenous
Main image: Electrically conductive plastics provide essential protection to electronic
equipment and avoid poten- tially cata- strophic device failure
February 2020 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 41
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
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