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Polystyrene and Styrene–butadiene copolymer blends with carbon nanotubes as fillers for sound and vibration damping

Composite (nano)materials of enhanced properties and structures lead to further progress in modern technologies, research and engineering. Use of carbon nanotubes as fillers in composite materials has been widely applied because of their ability to improve stiffness, strength, thermal and electrical conductivity of host materials. Good dispersion of nanotubes in composite material is of a great importance regarding transfer of properties from filler to host. Dynamic-mechanical and vibration damping properties of polymer blends, comprised of general purpose polystyrene (PS-GP) and styrene–hydrogenated butadiene copolymer, (SHBC) were investigated in this work. Series of polymer blends with various PS/SHBC ratios were prepared by mixing solutions of single polymer in toluene. Furthermore, composites with various weight fractions of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as filler were prepared by solution mixing, using high speed stirrer and ultrasonic bath. Mixtures were cast in teflon molds and dried at 60 °C. DMA results show glass transition temperature in a range between -20 °C and -10 °C for all prepared materials. Results of the Oberst's method show that maximum values of loss factor are obtained at temperature around -10 °C ; as expected, energy absorption capability reaches its maximum around glass transition temperature of material. It has been determined that with increase of the MWCNT content in composite, loss factor increases as well.

Polystyrene and Styrene-Butadiene copolymer; carbon nanotubes

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