Desirable electrical and mechanical properties of continuous hybrid nano-scale carbon fibers containing highly aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The continuous highly aligned hybrid carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with different content of acid-oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were fabricated through electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) followed by a series of heat treatments under tensile force. The effects of MWCNTs on the mi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Carbon (New York) 2013-11, Vol.64, p.72-83
Main Authors: Sui, G., Xue, S.S., Bi, H.T., Yang, Q., Yang, X.P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alignment
Carbon
Carbon fibers
Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties
Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science
rheology
Exact sciences and technology
Fullerenes and related materials
diamonds, graphite
Materials science
Mechanical and acoustical properties of condensed matter
Multi wall carbon nanotubes
Nanofibers
Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization
Nanostructure
Nanotubes
Orientation
Physics
Polymer matrix composites
Specific materials
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Summary:The continuous highly aligned hybrid carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with different content of acid-oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were fabricated through electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) followed by a series of heat treatments under tensile force. The effects of MWCNTs on the micro-morphology, the degree of orientation and ordered crystalline structure of the resulting nanofibers were analyzed quantitatively by diversified structural characterization techniques. The orientation of PAN molecule chains and the graphitization degree in carbonized nanofibers were distinctly improved through the addition of MWCNTs. The electrical conductivity of the hybrid CNFs with 3wt% MWCNTs reached 26S/cm along the fiber direction due to the ordered alignment of MWCNTs and nanofibers. The reinforcing effect of hybrid CNFs in epoxy composites was also revealed. An enhancement of 46.3% in Young’s modulus of epoxy composites was manifested by adding 5wt% hybrid CNFs mentioned above. At the same time, the storage modulus of hybrid CNF/epoxy composites was significantly higher than that of pristine epoxy and CNF/epoxy composites not containing MWCNTs, and the performance gap became greater under the high temperature regions. It is believed that such a continuous hybrid CNF can be used as effective multifunctional reinforcement in polymer matrix composites.
ISSN:0008-6223
1873-3891
DOI:10.1016/j.carbon.2013.07.035