Abstract
Enhancing the optical, electrical, and mechanical properties of polymeric materials, by blending with another material and doping with nano-fillers, is crucial for improving their performance in optoelectronic, biological, and medical applications. In this work, the influence of adding multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the physical properties of carboxymethyl cellulose/polyacrylamide blends is reported. Scanning electron microscopy was used for investigating films' surface morphology and revealed good distribution of MWCNTs on the blend surface. UV-vis-IR spectroscopy showed that absorption and refractive indices, and other dispersion parameters could be controlled by adjusting the films' compositions. Loading 2 wt% MWCNTs narrowed the optical bandgap of the blend from 5.1 to 4.1 eV. Doping with MWCNTs raised the DC conductivity by about two orders of magnitude by forming three-dimensional pathways within the blend matrix. The storage modulus increased with MWCNTs loading by 39.3% for the 2 wt% ratio while decreasing with increasing temperature. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2020. (c) 2020 Society of Plastics Engineers