Three dimensional orientation angle distribution counting and calculation for the mechanical properties of aligned carbon nanotube/epoxy composites

Abstract

This paper presents effects of carbon nanotube (CNT) orientation angle distribution on elastic moduli of aligned CNT/epoxy composites that were fabricated with various volume fractions using hot-melt prepreg method. Tensile testing was conducted to evaluate the composites' mechanical properties. The composites' Young's moduli increased with increasing CNT volume fraction. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed CNT orientation angle distribution data for the surface and through-thickness planes. The standard deviation of CNT orientation angle distribution was about 30 deg for the surface, and 22.5 deg for the through-thickness plane. The effective Young's modulus of CNT was estimated using the equivalent inclusion theory (Eshelby/Mori-Tanaka theory) incorporating a three-dimensional

Improving mechanical properties of high volume fraction aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube/epoxy composites by stretching and pressing

“…This phenomenon demonstrates a reduced trend of the percentage increase in the elastic modulus of the composites as the CNT volume fraction increases. This decreased trend is attributable to the increase of CNT alignment in the thickness direction of the pristine composites with high CNT loading because the CNT orientation was distributed both over a plane direction and thickness direction of the composites [31]. In general, the efficiency of the stretching and/or pressing in improving the mechanical properties of the composites decreased with the increase of the CNT volume fraction.…”

Control of the Length and Density of Carbon Nanotubes Grown on Carbon Fiber for Composites Reinforcement

“…The needs of aerospace, automobile and electronic industry to develop high performance structural composites have mobilized the scientific community to improve the utilization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on advanced structural composites. The use of CNTs on carbon fiber (CF) reinforced polymeric composites has been widely explored in recent years [3][4][5][6]. However, the predicted reinforcement that CNTs could provide to the composite [7][8] has not been achieved yet.…”

Effects of poly(oxyethylene)-block structure in polyetheramines on the modified carbon nanotube/poly(lactic acid) composites

“…Since the first observation of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in 1991 by Iijima [7] and the identification of their distinctive mechanical, thermal and electrical properties, the approach of using CNT/polymer composites to improve the polymers' functions has been popularly taken [8][9][10][11][12]. However, carbon nanotubes frequently aggregate into bundles due to their inherent van der Waals interactions among the CNTs.…”