• Carbon letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.320-324
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• 2009

We investigated the effect of diameter and content of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the physical properties of styrenebutadiene rubber (SBR)/CNTs nanocomposites. CNTs-reinforced SBR nanocomposites were prepared by the melt mixing process. CNTs with different diameters were synthesized by the chemical vapor deposition method (CVD). In this work, the mechanical property and other physical properties of SBR/CNTS nanocomposites were discussed as a function of the content and diameter of CNTs.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.115-133
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• 2011

Fiber reinforced polymer composites (FRPs) are being increasingly used for a wide range of engineering applications owing to their high specific strength and stiffness. However, their through-the-thickness performance lacks some of the most demanding physical and mechanical property requirements for structural applications, such as aerospace vehicles and military components. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs), due to their excellent mechanical, thermal and electrical properties, offer great promise to improve the weak properties in the thickness direction and impart multi-functionality without substantial weight addition to FRPs. This paper reviews the progress made to date on i) the techniques developed for integration of CNTs/ CNFs into FRPs, and ii) the effects of the addition of these nanofillers on the interlaminar properties, such as such interlaminar shear strength, interlaminar fracture toughness and impact damage resistance and tolerance, of FRPs. The key challenges and future prospects in the development of multiscale CNT-FRP composites for advanced applications are also highlighted.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2014

Nanocomposites based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/(PVDF) blended with carbon fibers (CF) and carbon nanotube (CNT) were prepared by melt mixing in the twin screw extruder. Morphologies of the PMMA/PVDF/CF/CNT and PET/PVDF/CF/CNT nanocomposites were investigated using SEM. The aggregation of CNT was observed in PMMA/PVDF/CF/CNT nanocomposites while the good dispersion of CNT was shown in PET/PVDF/CF/CNT nanocomposites. In SEM image of PET/PVDF/CF/CNT nanocomposite, the CNT were mainly located at the PET domain of phase-separated PET/PVDF blend due to the ${\pi}-{\pi}$ interaction between the phenyl ring of PET and graphite sheet of the CNT's surface. In addition, a fairly good compatibility between PET/PVDF matrix and CF was shown in the SEM image. In the case of PET/PVDF nanocomposites blended with the co-addition of CF and CNT, the volume electrical resistivity decreased while no change was observed in PMMA/PVDF/CF/CNT composites. The degree of CNT dispersion in morphology results was consistent with the electrical conductivity results. From the DSC results, the crystallization temperature (Tc) of PET/PVDF/CF/CNT nanocomposites increased due to the co-addition of CF and CNTs acting as a nucleating agent. Flexural modulus of PET/PVDF/CF/CNT were sharply enhanced due to increasing the interaction between PET and CF.

• Composites Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.186-193
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• 2016

The development of electrospun nanofibers with improved mechanical properties is of great scientific and technological interest because of their wide-range of applications. Reinforcement of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the polymer matrix is considered as a promising strategy for substantially enhancing the mechanical properties of resulting CNTs/polymer composite mats on account of extraordinary mechanical properties of CNTs such as ultra-high Young's modulus and tensile strengths. This paper summarizes the recent developments on electrospun CNTs/polymer composite mats with an emphasis on their mechanical properties.

• Composites Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.289-294
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• 2013

A thinner is used to improve the multi-walled carbon nano-tube (CNT) and carbon black (CB) dispersion in a polymer matrix and to make a soft electrode. The electrical and mechanical properties of the soft electrodes are investigated as functions of CNT, CB and thinner content. The optimal mixing condition for the electrode is thinner 80, CNT 3.5, CB 18 (phr) on the basis of matrix (KE-12). The specific resistance of that is 73 (${\Omega}{\cdot}cm$), and tensile strength, tensile modulus, and elongation of that is 0.45 MPa, 0.21 MPa, and 184%, respectively. Also, a simple structure of the actuator with an optimized electrode and elastomer is fabricated and its characteristic is evaluated. At the operating voltage 25 kV, the displacement of an elastomer KE-12 is 2.24 mm, and that of an elastomer KE-12 with thinner 50 (phr) is 4.05 mm. It shows a higher displacement compared to that of 3M 4910 which has similar modulus. The actuator made with elastomer and electrode of the same material (KE-12) may have advantages for fatigue life and application.

• Composites Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.138-144
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• 2017

Damage sensing of polymer composite films consisting of poly(dicyclopentadiene) p-DCPD and carbon nanotube (CNT) was studied experimentally. Only up to 1st ring-opening polymerization occurred with the addition of CNT, which made the modified film electrically conductive, while interfering with polymerization. The interfacial adhesion of composite films with varying CNT concentration was evaluated by measuring the wettability using the static contact angle method. 0.5 wt% CNT/p-DCPD was determined to be the optimal condition via electrical dispersion method and tensile test. Dynamic fatigue test was conducted to evaluate the durability of the films by measuring the change in electrical resistance. For the initial three cycles, the change in electrical resistance pattern was similar to the tensile stress-strain curve. The CNT/p-DCPD film was attached to an epoxy matrix to demonstrate its utilization as a sensor for fracture behavior. At the onset of epoxy fracture, electrical resistance showed a drastic increase, which indicated adhesive fracture between sensor and matrix. It leads to prediction of crack and fracture of matrix.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.500-504
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• 2010

The PU-g-MWNTs/PU film was synthesized by simple blending method to fabricate composites which have excellent mechanical and electrical properties. PU-g-MWNTs based composite revealed much enhanced dispersity than pristine MWNTs composite because of interfacial interaction related with interfacial compatibility between polymer matrix and PU on the MWNTs surface. The electro-conductivity of composite was measured as a function of PU-g-MWNTs concentration. The results were correlated with percolation threshold theory. As a result, the critical concentration and exponent of electro-conductivity behavior was equal to 0.78 wt% and 0.945.

• Composites Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1-6
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• 2011

A new water-soluble and self-doped poly(styrenesulfonic acid-graft-aniline), PSSA-g-PANI, for dispersing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in water was synthesized and its ability to stabilize aqueous CNT dispersions was examined. It was observed that the PANI in PSSA-g-PANI, which has benzoid and quinoid structure, was strongly adsorbed onto the nanotube surface via a strong ${\pi}-{\pi}$ interaction, and thus only gentle sonication causes exfoliation of CNT ropes to small bundles and the long-term stability of their resulting dispersions was much better than commercial surfactants. Furthermore, when thin films of PSSA-g-PANI/CNT are prepared from aqueous dispersion and their electrical conductivities are measured by the four probe technique, it is observed that their conductivities are in the range of 1.5-2.5 S/cm.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.108-113
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• 2005

Biomimetic actuators that can produce soft-actuation but large force capability are of interest. Nafion, an effective ionomeric material from DuPont, has been shown to produce large deformation under low electric fields (<10V/mm). Carbon nanotube/polymer nanocomposites were cast to enhance the electromechanical properties of the composites. Multiwalled carbon nanotube (M-CNT)/Nafion nanocomposites were prepared by a solution casting to investigate the effect of M-CNT loading in the range of 0 to 7 wt% on electromechanical properties of the M-CNT/Nafion nanocomposites. The measured elastic modulus and actuation force of the M-CNT/Nafion nanocomposites are drastically different, showing larger elastic modulus and improved electromechanical coupling, from the one without M-CNT.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.15-18
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• 2004

Nondestructive damage sensing and mechanical properties for thermal treated carbon nanotube(CNT) and nanofiber(CNF)/epoxy composites were investigated using electro-micromechanical technique. Carbon black (CB) was used only for the comparison. Electro-micromechanical techniques were applied to obtain the fiber damage and stress transferring effect of carbon nanocomposites with their contents. Thermal treatment and temperature affected on apparent modulus and electrical properties on nanocomposites due to enhanced inherent properties of each CNMs. Coefficient of variation (COV) of volumetric electrical resistance can be used to obtain the dispersion degree indirectly for various CNMs. Dispersion and surface modification are very important parameters to obtain improved mechanical and electrical properties of CNMs for multifunctional applications. Further optimized functionalization and dispersion conditions will be investigated for the following work continuously.