%0 Journal Article %T Tensile and conductivity properties of epoxy composites containing carbon black and graphene nanoplatelets %A Aaron S Krieg %A David C Jaszczak %A Gregory M Odegard %A Ibrahim Miskoglu %A Julia A King %A Owen P Mills %J Journal of Composite Materials %@ 1530-793X %D 2018 %R 10.1177/0021998318771460 %X Adding conductive fillers to an insulating polymer matrix produces composites with unique properties. Varying amounts of carbon black (0.33, 0.67, and 1£¿wt%) and graphene nanoplatelets (5, 10, 15, and 20£¿wt%) were added to epoxy. In addition, a few carbon black/graphene nanoplatelet/epoxy formulations were also fabricated. The conductivity and tensile properties were determined and analyzed. The single filler composites containing 5 and 10£¿wt% graphene nanoplatelet and 0.33£¿wt% carbon black could be used for electrically insulating applications. Composites containing 15 and 20£¿wt% graphene nanoplatelet could be used for static dissipative applications. The following composites could be used for semi-conductive applications: 0.67£¿wt% carbon black/epoxy, 1£¿wt% carbon black/epoxy, 0.33£¿wt% carbon black/5£¿wt% graphene nanoplatelet/epoxy, and 0.33£¿wt% carbon black/10£¿wt% graphene nanoplatelet/epoxy. At the 95% confidence level, the combination of 0.33£¿wt% carbon black with 5£¿wt% graphene nanoplatelet caused the composite electrical resistivity (1/electrical conductivity) to significantly decrease from ¡«1015 ohm-cm to ¡«104 ohm-cm. It is likely that the highly branched, high surface area carbon black is forming an electrically conductive network with graphene nanoplatelets. Concerning single filler composites, adding ¡Ü1£¿wt% carbon black did not significantly lower the composite tensile strain; however, adding graphene nanoplatelet did decrease tensile strain and increase modulus. One possible application for the 10£¿wt% graphene nanoplatelet/epoxy composite is in Polymer Core Composite Conductors for power transmission lines, which need to be electrically insulating, have improved thermal conductivity (increased from 0.2 to 0.3£¿W/m-K), increased tensile modulus (increased from 2.7 to 3.3£¿GPa), and good tensile strength (70£¿MPa) and strain (3.3%) %K Carbon black %K composites %K electrical conductivity %K graphene nanoplatelets %K tensile %U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0021998318771460