This paper describes the physical properties of filled Nylon6 composites resin with nano-sized carbon black particle and graphite nanofibers prepared by melt extrusion method. In improving adhesions between resin and fillers, the surface of the carbon filler materials were chemically modified by thermo-oxidative treatments and followed by treatments of silane coupling agent. Crystallization temperature and rate of crystallization increased with increases in filler concentration which would act as nuclei for crystallization. The silane treatments on the filler materials showed effect of reduction in crystallization temperature, possibly from enhancement in wetting property of the surface of the filler materials. Percolation transition phenomenon at which the volume resistivity was sharply decreased was observed above 9 wt% of carbon black and above 6 wt% of graphite nanofiber. The graphite nanofibers contributed to more effectively in an increase in electrical conductivity than carbon black did, on the other hand, the silane coupling agent negatively affected to the electrical conductivity due to the insulating property of the silane. Positive temperature coefficient (PTC) phenomenon, was observed as usual in other composites, that is, temperature increase results conductivity increase. The dispersity of the fillers were excellently approached by melt extrusion of co-rotational twin screw type and it could be illustrated by X-ray diffraction and SEM.
In order to improve the lithium ion battery's performance, the carbon nanofibers were introduced to the anode electrode fabricated with natural graphite particles. The influence of structural adjustment of the particles by the introduction method of carbon nanofibers and the content of carbon nanofibers on the electrical property and charge/discharge characteristics of the electrode were investigated. The electrode fabricated with the mixture of 10 wt% of carbon nanofibers grown separately and 90 wt% of graphite particles showed an excellent discharge capacity of 400 mAh/g and the improved cycle performance. The improved performance could be explained by that the carbon nanofibers shortened and uniformly distributed on the surface of graphite particles by ball milling increased the stability for the intercalation/deintercalation of lithium ion and increased the electrical conductivity due to the closed packing between graphite particles.