Structural model of the viscosity of polymer melts of nanocomposites: Carbon nanotubes as macromolecular coils

In the proposed structural model of the viscosity of the melt of polymer–carbon nanotube nanocomposites, carbon nanotubes are modeled as an analog of macromolecular coils of branched polymers. This approach makes it possible to determine the real degree of anisotropy of this nanofiller. The use of the degree of anisotropy allows accurate prediction of the melt viscosity of the considered nanocomposites. The formation of such a specific structure of carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix leads to a twofold decrease in melt viscosity in comparison with nanocomposites containing linear carbon nanotubes.