The role of carbon nanofiber defects on the electrical and mechanical properties of CNF-based resins

• Published in: Nanotechnology 2013-08, Vol.24 (30), p.305704-305704
• Main Authors: Guadagno, Liberata, Raimondo, Marialuigia, Vittoria, Vittoria, Vertuccio, Luigi, Lafdi, Khalid, De Vivo, Biagio, Lamberti, Patrizia, Spinelli, Giovanni, Tucci, Vincenzo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon; Carbon fibers; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport in multilayers, nanoscale materials and structures; Exact sciences and technology; Heat treatment; Materials science; Mechanical and acoustical properties of condensed matter; Mechanical properties of nanoscale materials; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanofibers; Nanomaterials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructure; Physics; Resins; Resistivity; Thermal properties of condensed matter; Thermal properties of small particles, nanocrystals, nanotubes
• ISSN: 0957-4484; 1361-6528
• DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/24/30/305704

Heat treatment of carbon nanofibers has proven to be an effective method in removing defects from carbon nanofibers, causing a strong increase in their structural perfection and thermal stability. It affects the bonding states of carbon atoms in the nanofiber structure and causes a significant transformation in the hybridization state of the bonded carbon atoms. Nanofilled resins made of heat-treated CNF show significant increases in their electrical conductivity even at low concentrations. This confirms that enhancement in the perfection of the fiber structure with consequent change in the morphological features plays a prominent role in affecting the electrical properties. Indeed heat-treated CNFs display a stiff structure and a smooth surface which tends to lower the thickness of the unavoidable insulating epoxy layer formed around the CNF which, in turn, plays a fundamental role in the electrical transport properties along the conducting clusters. This might be very beneficial in terms of electrical conductivity but might have negligible effect on the mechanical properties.