Synthesis, Characterization, and Structure Property Relationships of Conductive Polymer Nanocomposites for Energy Storage Applications

Abstract

Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) have gained significant interest owing to the possibility of combining the processing advantages of polymers with the superior properties of nanofillers. In this study, conductive nanocomposites of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polyurethane (PU) were prepared with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO), graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and copper nanowires (CuNWs). The effect of the dimensionality of the fillers (0D, 1D and 2D) on the structure and properties was studied. ZnO (3 wt%) addition resulted in higher thermal stability (T₅%) from 285.2 °C to 302.4 °C and increased tensile strength by 16% without compromising the flexibility. Percolation thresholds were observed at 2.8 vol% for GNPs and 6.2 vol% for CuNWs leading to a dramatic increase in conductivity. The PU/18.5 wt% CuNWs nanocomposite exhibited a specific capacitance of 142.5 F/g and energy density of 17.8 Wh/kg with cycling stability. This study highlights the role of filler nature and dispersion in the development of energy storage materials.