Glass-Fiber Networks as an Orbit for Ions: Fabrication of Excellent Antistatic PP/GF Composites with Extremely Low Organic Salt Loadings

Polypropylene (PP)/glass fiber (GF) composites showing excellent antistatic performance were prepared by a simple melt process blending PP with GF and a small amount of organic salts (OSs). Two types of OSs, tribuyl(octyl)phosphonium bis(trifloromethanesulfonyl)imide (TBOP-TFSI) and lithium bis(trifloromethanesulfonyl)imide (Li-TFSI), with equivalent anions were used as antistatic agents for the composites. It was found that the GF and OSs exhibited significant synergistic effects on the antistatic performance as well as the mechanical properties of the composites. On the one hand, the incorporation of GF significantly enhanced the electric conductivity of the composites at a constant OS loading. On the other hand, the two types of OSs improved the interfacial adhesion between the GF and the PP matrix, which led to an enhancement of the mechanical properties. This study showed that OSs had specific interactions with GFs and were absorbed exclusively on the GF surface. The GF network in the PP matrix provided perfect orbits for the movement of ions, inducing the excellent antistatic performance exhibited by the PP/GF composites at an OS loading of as low as 0.25 wt % when the GF formed a network in the PP matrix.