Preparation and characterization of thermoplastic acrylate pressure-sensitive adhesive/nickel/multiwalled carbon nanotubes

In this work, a novel polymer magnetic composite based on thermoplastic acrylate pressure-sensitive adhesive (acrylate PSA) filled with the nickel plating multiwall carbon nanotubes (Ni/MWNTs) were prepared using Ni/MWNTs obtained by electroless plating method. Then their morphology and properties were characterized by transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and so on. Both SEM and XRD indicate that a large number of nickel particles are homogenously coated on the surface of MWNTs. SEM reveals that the Ni/MWNTs are homogeneously dispersed in thermoplastic acrylate PSA. The VSM show that the saturation magnetization (Ms) of the Ni/MWNTs is 92.0 emu/g and the increase in the Ni/MWNTs content could enhance the Ms of the thermoplastic acrylate PSA/Ni/MWNTs composites and decrease their coercivity (Hc). When the content of Ni/MWNTs is 10.0 wt%, the magnetic and mechanical properties of the thermoplastic acrylate PSA/Ni/MWNTs composites are optimum.