Effective reinforcement in carbon nanotube–polymer composites

Carbon nanotubes have mechanical properties that are far in excess of conventional fibrous materials used in engineering polymer composites. Effective reinforcement of polymers using carbon nanotubes is difficult due to poor dispersion and alignment of the nanotubes along the same axis as the applie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A: Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences physical, and engineering sciences, 2008-05, Vol.366 (1870), p.1613-1626
Main Authors: Wang, W, Ciselli, P, Kuznetsov, E, Peijs, T, Barber, A.H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adhesion
Adhesiveness
Bending
Carbon
Carbon Nanotube
Carbon nanotubes
Composite
Composite materials
Composite Resins - chemistry
Crystallization
Electrospinning
Mechanical properties
Nanomechanics
Nanostructures - chemistry
Nanotechnology
Nanotubes
Nanotubes, Carbon - chemistry
Polymer
Polymers
Tensile Strength
Tensile stress
Youngs modulus
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Summary:Carbon nanotubes have mechanical properties that are far in excess of conventional fibrous materials used in engineering polymer composites. Effective reinforcement of polymers using carbon nanotubes is difficult due to poor dispersion and alignment of the nanotubes along the same axis as the applied force during composite loading. This paper reviews the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes and their polymer composites to highlight how many previously prepared composites do not effectively use the excellent mechanical behaviour of the reinforcement. Nanomechanical tests using atomic force microscopy are carried out on simple uniaxially aligned carbon nanotube-reinforced polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibres prepared using electrospinning processes. Dispersion of the carbon nanotubes within the polymer is achieved using a surfactant. Young's modulus of these simple composites is shown to approach theoretically predicted values, indicating that the carbon nanotubes are effective reinforcements. However, the use of dispersant is also shown to lower Young's modulus of the electrospun PVA fibres.
ISSN:1364-503X
1471-2962
DOI:10.1098/rsta.2007.2175