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Water Vapor Transport Enhancement Through Isotactic Polypropylene by Incorporating Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

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In the present work, the incorporation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in isotactic polypropylene (i-PP) was examined in terms of water vapor transport. The structure of the composites, as well as the MWCNT dispersion, was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, broadband dielectric relaxation spectroscopy was employed to study the electrical properties of the nanocomposites. The composite membranes were prepared by a melt mixing procedure. The incorporation of MWCNTs resulted in a 12-fold increase in the specific water vapor transmission rate. Water vapor transport properties were found to be limited by efficient obstructive nanotube agglomerate formation for high MWCNT loadings.

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Acknowledgements

The present work was funded by Synergasia 2009 program (project code: 09SYN-1156). This program is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and national resources. Authors would like to thank Dr. V. Dracopoulos for assistance with SEM experiments and valuable scientific discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas – Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences (FORTH-ICE/HT), P.O. Box 1414, GR–26504, Rio–Patras, Greece

    G. Bounos, K. S. Andrikopoulos, H. Moschopoulou, Th. Ioannides & G. A. Voyiatzis

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, GR 265 04, Patras, Greece

    H. Moschopoulou

  3. Nanothinx S.A., GR 26504, Patras, Greece

    K. Kouravelou

  4. Department of Materials Science, School of Natural Sciences University of Patras, Patras, 26504, Greece

    G. C. Psarras

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  1. G. Bounos
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  2. K. S. Andrikopoulos
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  3. H. Moschopoulou
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  4. Th. Ioannides
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  5. K. Kouravelou
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  6. G. C. Psarras
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  7. G. A. Voyiatzis
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Correspondence to G. Bounos.

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Published in Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, Vol. 53, No. 11–12 (500), pp. 22–31, 2014.

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Bounos, G., Andrikopoulos, K.S., Moschopoulou, H. et al. Water Vapor Transport Enhancement Through Isotactic Polypropylene by Incorporating Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes. Powder Metall Met Ceram 53, 634–642 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11106-015-9660-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11106-015-9660-4

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