| dc.description.abstract | Conductive polymer composites have been successfully synthesized through the crosslinking method and their conductivity properties have been analyzed. Corn starch and natural rubber which are non-conductive natural polymers are mixed using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a crosslinking agent so as to increase the bonding capacity between polymers. In addition, CMC also acts as a compatibilizer to improve the properties of corn starch. Glycerol is also used as a plasticizer to increase the flexibility and processing ability of corn starch. The addition of carbon nanotube (CNT), graphite and carbon foam to polymer composites produces materials with low density, besides that the use of carbon foam forms polymer composite materials that have the most optimum porosity compared to other samples. The crystalline properties of pure polymer composites are amorphous, and the addition of conductive carbon results in crystalline properties identical to the conductive carbon used. Molecular bonding is just the opposite, the addition of the three types of conductive carbon does not change the chemical structure of the polymer composite. At a frequency of 0.1 Hz, the electrical conductivity values measured in samples without the addition of carbon, with the addition of CNT, graphite and carbon foam were 1.192 x 10-7, 6.123 x 10-4, 7.656 10-4 and 3.134 x 10-2 S.cm-1 respectively, while the conductive polymer composite with the addition of graphite has an electrical conductivity value of 7.838 x 10-4 S.cm-1. The addition of the three carbons has succeeded in creating a conductive pathway in the structure of corn starch-based polymer composites, thereby increasing the conductivity of the material. | en_US |
