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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Clay particles were used to facilitate the dispersion and network formation of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in an epoxy matrix. In the presence of clay, electrical conductivity increase and percolation threshold reduction for SWNT/epoxy composites were achieved simultaneously. These improvements are due to better SWNT dispersion, as evidenced by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) shows that mechanical properties of the composites without clay could be improved by clay addition. SWNTs appear to have an affinity for clay that causes them to become more exfoliated and better networked.