• Composites Research
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.232-238
• /
• 2015

As a new method to predict the degree of dispersion in carbon nanocomposites, the electrical resistance (ER) method has been evaluated. After CNT epoxy resin was dropped on CF tow, the change in electrical resistance of carbon fiber tow was measured to evaluate dispersion condition in CNT epoxy resin. Good dispersion of CNTs in carbon nanocomposite exhibited low change in ER due to wetted resin penetrated on CF tow. However, because CNT network was formed among CFs, non-uniform dispersion occurred due to nanoparticle filtering effect by CF tow. The change in ER for poor dispersion exhibited large ER signal change. The change in ER was used for the dispersion evaluation of CNT epoxy resin. Correlation between interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and dispersion condition by ER method was established. Good CNT dispersion in nanocomposites led to good interfacial properties of fiberreinforced nanocomposites.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.615-619
• /
• 1999

Polyether-clay nanocomposite was not polymerized with stearyltrimethylammonium ion exchanged montmorillonite, but it was self-polymerizable when heated with both stearyltrimethylammpmoim and m-phenylenediammonium ions intercalated montmorillonite to form polyether-clay nanocomposites. Molcular disperion of montmorillonite within the crosslinked epoxy matrix verified using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy found that the final product contains a uniform dispersion of exfoliated $10{\AA}$ thin clay layers seperated by $250{\sim}500{\AA}$of polyether polymer, thus verifying the nanocomposite structure.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.263-269
• /
• 2001

MAPTAC-MMT was prepared by exchanging the mineral cation (sodium montmorillonite) with 3-(methacryloyl amino) propyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, thus rendering the mineral organophilic and forming polymerizable moieties directly bonded to the surface of montmorillonite (MMT). Thermoresponsive nanocomposites (PNIPAM-MMT) were synthesized by polymerization of N-isopropyl acrylamide in an aqueous suspension of MAPTAC-MMT at room temperature. Thermoresponsive nanocomposites exhibited a low critical solution temperature (LCST) similar to unmodified poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM). The LCST of thermoresponsive nanocomposites decreased in proportion to the amount of MAPTAC-MMT. TGA results showed that the thermal stability of thermoresponsive nanocomposites was improved compared to PNIPAM itself the thermoresponsive polymer.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.321-328
• /
• 2020

Recently, development of nanocomposite materials for applying in various fields has been actively underway. Of the two-dimensional nanomaterials, graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) are highly utilized because of their excellent properties, but a problem of strong aggregations is occurred when GnPs are fabricated with polymer nanocomposites, so there is a growing demand for research on the methods of dispersion. In this review paper, the research on GnP nanocomposites with improved properties through various dispersion methods of GnPs. The welldispersed GnP nanocomposites will be applied in more diverse fields in the future.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.198-204
• /
• 2020

In this study, we employ the full atomistic molecular dynamics simulation and finite element homogenization method to predict the thermo-mechanical properties of nanocomposites including carbon nanotube bundle. As the number of carbon nanotubes within the single bundle increases, the effective in-plane Young's modulus and in-plane shear modulus decrease, and in-plane thermal expansion coefficient increases, despite the same volume fraction of carbon nanotubes. To investigate the thickness of interphase zone, we employ the radial density distribution. It is investigated that the interphase thickness is almost independent on the number of carbon nanotubes within the single bundle. It is assumed that the matrix and interphase are isotropic materials. According to the predicted thermo-mechanical properties of interphase zone, the Young's modulus and shear modulus of interphase zone clearly decrease, and the thermal expansion coefficient increases. Based on the thermo-mechanical interphase behavior, we developed the multiscale homogenization model to predict the thermo-mechanical properties of PLA nanocomposites that include the carbon nanotube bundle.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.411-422
• /
• 2010

Self-sensing on micro-failure, dispersion degree and relating properties, of carbon nanotube(CNT)/epoxy composites, were investigated using wettability, electro-micromechanical technique with acoustic emission(AE). Specimens were prepared from neat epoxy as well as composites with untreated and acid-treated CNT. Degree of dispersion was evaluated comparatively by measuring volumetric electrical resistivity and its standard deviation. Apparent modulus containing the stress transfer was higher for acid-treated CNT composite than for the untreated case. Applied cyclic loading responded well for a single carbon fiber/CNT-epoxy composite by the change in contact resistivity. The interfacial shear strength between a single carbon fiber and CNT-epoxy, determined in a fiber pullout test, was lower than that between a single carbon fiber and neat epoxy. Regarding on micro-damage sensing using electrical resistivity measurement with AE, the stepwise increment in electrical resistivity was observed for a single carbon fiber/CNT -epoxy composite. On the other hand, electrical resistivity increased infinitely right after the first carbon fiber breaks for a single carbon fiber/neat epoxy composite. The occurrence of AE events of added CNT composites was much higher than the neat epoxy case, due to micro failure at the interfaces by added CNTs.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.252-257
• /
• 2010

Nanocomposites of blends of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and poly (styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (SMA) containing natural and organically modified montmorillonite clays ($Cloisite^{(R)}$25A and $Cloisite^{(R)}$15A) were prepared by solution mixing. Effect of clay on the miscibility, morphology and thermal properties of nanocomposites was investigated. DSC results showed that the addition of clay improved the miscibility of PMMA/SMA blends. Specifically, clay 15A was observed to be most effective than other clays in all nanocomposites regardless of MA contents of SMAs tested. Dispersion of clays was investigated using XRD and TEM and the nanocomposites containing clay 15A again showed the best clay dispersion than the ones with other clays.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.468-474
• /
• 2015

Electrically conductive polymer nanocomposites were prepared by the inclusion of graphene-based nanofillers. Graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide wrapped by poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS-RGO) were used as nanofillers to make good dispersion with the aqueous dispersion of polystyrene (PS) particles. GO sheets were synthesized by the modified Hummers' method from graphite, and PSS-RGO sheets were prepared by the reduction of GO-dispersed PSS solution with hydrazine monohydrate. Morphology and properties of PS/GO and PS/PSS-RGO nanocomposites via latex technology were investigated. Both nanofillers showed well dispersed morphology in PS matrix. Rheological and electrical percolation thresholds were 0.28 and 0.51 wt% for GO, and 0.50 and 1.01 wt% for PSS-RGO respectively. It is speculated that PS/GO nanocomposites showed better conductivity than PS/PSS-RGO counterparts due to the partial recovery of GO by thermal reduction during molding.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.36-42
• /
• 2006

MWNT(multi-walled carbon nanotube)-filled plain-weave glass/epoxy composites were fabricated and electromagnetic characteristics of the composites were investigated. The observation of the microstructures of the composites revealed that MWNTs are mostly distributed in matrix rich region and the interface between glass fiber yarns in warp and fill direction. The permittivity of the composites, measured in X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz) frequency range, increased with weight fraction of MWNTs and remained almost constant with frequency. The measured permittivity was used to investigate the reflection loss of radar absorbing structures (RAS) composed of MWNT-filled composites according to thickness and a RAS were constructed with 10 dB absorbing bandwidth 4.2 GHz and 3.3 mm in thickness.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.282-287
• /
• 2018

In this paper, we explore interfacial properties of the mineralized CNTs when they are employed as reinforcing fillers in a polymer nanocomposite using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Recently, several studies on mineralizing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with an aid of nitrogen doping to CNTs have been reported. However, there is a lack of studies on the reinforcing effects of the mineralized CNTs when it is employed as a filler of nanocomposites. Silica ($SiO_2$) is used as a mineral material and poly (methyl metacrylate) (PMMA) is used as a polymer matrix. Pull-out simulations are conducted to obtain the interfacial energy and the interfacial shear stress. It was found that the silica mineralized CNTs have higher interfacial interaction with the polymer matrix. In the future, by examining various thermomechanical properties of the mineralized-CNT-filler/polymer nanocomposites, we will search for potential applications of the novel reinforcing filler.