Title: Effect of processing parameters on electrical properties of polypropylene/graphite composite plates

Authors: Dedikarni Panuh; Radwan Dweiri; Jaafar Sahari

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Islam Riau, Pekanbaru, Riau 28284, Indonesia ' Department of Materials Engineering, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al Salt 19117, Jordan ' Fuel Cell Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract: This paper aims at optimising the processing parameters for the production of electrically conductive polypropylene/graphite composite plates. The composites were prepared by melt compounding using internal mixer and the plates were produced by compression moulding. The effect of processing parameters on conductivity at different graphite contents were optimised using design of experiments based on a cross-mixed method. The results showed a significant dependence of the conductivity values on the processing parameters. The highest value of in-plane conductivity resulted from simulations was 86.83 S/cm and it was achieved at a mixing time of 57.95 min, a mixing speed of 105.8 rpm, a compression moulding time of 157.89 s, and a pressure of 48.24 bar. Slightly higher value of about 91 S/cm was experimentally obtained. The distribution of graphite particles and the porosity on the surfaces of plates were also examined.

Keywords: in-plane electrical conductivity; processing parameters; PP/SG composite plates; melt mixing; compression moulding; design of experiments.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2017.087658

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2017 Vol.12 No.1/2, pp.12 - 24

Received: 11 Jan 2017
Accepted: 20 Apr 2017
Published online: 30 Oct 2017 *

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