UV-Led curable coatings containing porcupine-like carbon structures: thermal, dynamic-mechanical and electrical properties

Multi-functional coatings based on a UV-LED curable epoxy-acrylate resin and different loadings (up to 10 wt.%) of carbonaceous structures having a peculiar porcupine (PuP)-like morphology were formulated. More specifically, biochar-based particles derived from cellulose nanocrystals were modified through the growth of carbon nanofibers onto their outer surface, aiming at combining the effects of globular and high aspect ratio structures in a single filler. The introduction of increasing amounts of PuPs induced a progressive increase of the material storage modulus and thermal conductivity and a remarkable enhancement of the electrical conductivity, thus pointing out the effectiveness of the proposed approach of surface modifying biochar particles in obtaining composite films with superior properties.