Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes Effects on the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of High Density Polyethylene

The aim of this work is studying the influence of multiwall nanotube additions in high-density polyethylene using different complementary techniques. We were able to monitor the degradation of PE + X%MWCNTs using dilatometry, a tool that is highly sensitive to the structural behavior of materials. The small quantities of nanotubes inserted did not reveal any significant changes in the nanocomposites change-of-state temperature. Experimental methods using both calorimetry and thermogravimetry have shown that, overall, degradation temperatures tend to be approximately the same order of magnitude. According to Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction shows that crystallinity elevates with increasing concentration.