# Tailoring PBT Performance Through PBT/POE-g-GMA Nanocomposites with MWCNT

## TL;DR

This paper explores how adding carbon nanotubes to a polymer blend improves mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties for industrial use.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel PBT/POE-g-GMA nanocomposite reinforced with MWCNTs that balances multiple performance properties.

## Key findings

- Impact strength of nanocomposites increased by 158% compared to pure PBT.
- Heat deflection temperature reached 55 °C in PBT/POE-g-GMA/MWCNT5 nanocomposites.
- Electrical conductivity of 1.06 × 10−7 S/cm was achieved, suggesting potential for electrical applications.

## Abstract

The production of polymer nanocomposites from supertough blends reinforced with carbon-based nanofillers has garnered attention in recent years due to improvements in their mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. Currently, the main challenge is to develop materials with balanced performance for diverse industrial demands. In this context, this work aimed to produce nanocomposites of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and poly(ethylene-octene) grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (POE-g-GMA), reinforced with carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The PBT, the PBT/POE-g-GMA blend, and the respective MWCNT nanocomposites were initially premixed in an internal mixer and then processed in a co-rotational twin-screw extruder. After processing, they were injection-molded to obtain tensile, impact, and HDT test specimens. Mechanical (tensile, impact, and Shore D hardness), thermal (differential scanning calorimetry—DSC), thermomechanical (heat deflection temperature—HDT), electrical resistivity/conductivity, morphology, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) properties were evaluated. The results demonstrated a good balance among the investigated properties, with improvements in mechanical, thermal, and thermomechanical properties when compared to PBT. The impact strength of the nanocomposites reached 186 J/m, approximately 158% higher than that of neat PBT. The HDT reached approximately 55 °C in the PBT/POE-g-GMA/MWCNT5 nanocomposites, while the crystallization temperature increased by 11 °C, as evidenced by DSC, an aspect of great relevance for industrial applications. Furthermore, the PBT/POE-g-GMA/MWCNT5 nanocomposites exhibited an electrical conductivity of 1.06 × 10−7 S/cm, indicating potential for electrical applications.