Electrical properties of plastic composites using Br2-intercalated vapor-grown carbon fibers as a conductive filler

Graphite fiber intercalation compounds were prepared by immersing graphitized thin vapor-grown carbon fibers (VGCF's) with diameters less than 0.5 μm into liquid bromine. The composition of Br2-intercalated VGCF was C70Br-C90Br. The powder resistivity of Br2-intercalated VGCF was estimated as 1/3 of pristine VGCF. An electroconductive plastic composite was prepared by mixing phenol resin with that of bromine intercalated VGCF as a conductive filler, and its electrical properties were investigated. The resistivity of a Br2-intercalated VGCF composite was 1.1 × 10−2 Ω · cm at room temperature, which is about 50% of pristine VGCF composite. Br2-intercalated VGCF-based composite had a high degree of stability against exposure at 150 °C in air and at 85 °C with 90% humidity for 500 h. Br2-intercalated VGCF-based plastic composites could be used as highly electroconductive materials.