Vibrational and electrical investigations of a uniaxially stretched polystyrene/carbon nanotube composite

Multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/polystyrene (PS) composite materials were prepared in the absence and in the presence of a surfactant. TEM analysis reveals the formation of chains made of several nanotubes tied up together upon application of the surfactant while an almost random distribution is observed without any treatment. These nanotubes are seen to be highly oriented in the uniaxially stretched composite. It is shown that the presence of the surfactant and the alignment reduce electrical conductivity while polymer chain orientation remains insensitive to these parameters.