TY - JOUR
T1 - Reinforcing brittle and ductile epoxy matrices using carbon nanotubes masterbatch
AU - Korayem, Asghar H.
AU - Barati, Mohammad Reza
AU - Simon, George P.
AU - Zhao, Xiao Ling
AU - Duan, Wen Hui
N1 - Funding Information:
Authors are grateful for the financial support of the Australian Research Council in conducting this study. AHK thanks the financial support from the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of Iran. Authors acknowledge the use of facilities within the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy. Authors acknowledge the cooperation of Nuplex Resins, Australia for the supply of BYK dispersants.
PY - 2014/6
Y1 - 2014/6
N2 - In this study, the mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy composites using two different forms of carbon nanotubes (powder and masterbatch) were investigated. Composites were prepared by loading the surface-modified CNT powder and/or CNT masterbatch into either ductile or brittle epoxy matrices. The results show that 3 wt.% CNT masterbatch enhances Young's modulus by 20%, tensile strength by 30%, flexural strength by 15%, and 21.1 C increment in the glass transition temperature (by 34%) of ductile epoxy matrix. From scanning electron microscopy images, it was observed that the CNT masterbatch was uniformly distributed indicating the pre-dispersed CNTs in the masterbatch allow an easier path for preparation of CNT-epoxy composites with reduced agglomeration of CNTs. These results demonstrate a good CNT dispersion and ductility of epoxy matrix play a key role to achieve high performance CNT-epoxy composites.
AB - In this study, the mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy composites using two different forms of carbon nanotubes (powder and masterbatch) were investigated. Composites were prepared by loading the surface-modified CNT powder and/or CNT masterbatch into either ductile or brittle epoxy matrices. The results show that 3 wt.% CNT masterbatch enhances Young's modulus by 20%, tensile strength by 30%, flexural strength by 15%, and 21.1 C increment in the glass transition temperature (by 34%) of ductile epoxy matrix. From scanning electron microscopy images, it was observed that the CNT masterbatch was uniformly distributed indicating the pre-dispersed CNTs in the masterbatch allow an easier path for preparation of CNT-epoxy composites with reduced agglomeration of CNTs. These results demonstrate a good CNT dispersion and ductility of epoxy matrix play a key role to achieve high performance CNT-epoxy composites.
KW - A. Theromosetting resin
KW - B. Mechanical properties
KW - B. Thermal properties
KW - D. Mechanical testing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84896358800&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.compositesa.2014.02.016
DO - 10.1016/j.compositesa.2014.02.016
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:84896358800
SN - 1359-835X
VL - 61
SP - 126
EP - 133
JO - Composites - Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing
JF - Composites - Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing
ER -