The effects of carbon nanotube and magnesium maleate on the performance of ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM)/ polypropylene (PP) thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) with good shape memory behavior and electrical conductivity

The type of EPDM/PP TPV was the most widely used TPV with excellent mechanical property. To achieve functional property of EPDM/PP TPV, the EPDM/PP TPV compatibilized by magnesium maleate (MgMA) and maleic anhydride (MAH) was compounded with carbon nanotube (CNT) during dynamic vulcanization. The hydroxyl on CNT could reacted with the anhydride group on the graft products of polymer chains that promoted the uniform dispersion of CNT in TPV. The EPDM/PP TPV with excellent shape memory performance and electrical conductivity was successfully prepared. The successful reaction of CNT with anhydride on polymer chains in the compatibilized TPV M5C2 was verified by the result of FTIR, Raman spectrum and SEM image, which improved the mechanical performance, shape memory property and electrical conductivity of TPV M5C2 compared to TPV M0C2 with the same CNT content. TPV M5C1 obtained excellent shape memory performance with the R f of 96.0 % and R r of 93.9 %. The electrical conductivity of TPV M5C8 was as high as 1.6 × 10 −4  S·cm −1 demonstrating the formation of CNT conductive network in TPV.