Viscoelastic and mechanical properties of CNT-reinforced polymer-based hybrid composite materials using hygrothermal creep

Abstract

In the present work, a combination of experimental and numerical procedure is proposed to study the effects of different hygrothermal conditions on the creep strain, viscoelastic properties of nanocomposites, and mechanical properties of such nanocomposite-based carbon fiber–reinforced polymer (CFRP) hybrid composite materials. Ultrasonic probe sonicator is used to randomly disperse the multiwalled carbon nanotubes into an epoxy to minimize agglomerations. Dynamic mechanical analysis is employed to conduct the creep tests under different hygrothermal conditions of such nanocomposite samples. The Findley power law is used to obtain the long-term creep behavior of nanocomposite materials. Prony series is used to determine the viscoelastic properties of nanocomposite material in the frequency domain. Coefficient of moisture expansion (CME) is independent of moisture concentration; thus, CME of the nanocomposite is also determined. Strength of materials and Saravanos–Chamis micromechanics (SCM) have also been utilized to obtain the mechanical properties of such hybrid composite materials under different hygrothermal conditions. It has been found that the inclusion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes in the nanocomposite and hybrid composites improves storage modulus and loss factor (i.e., tan δ) compared to the conventional CFRP-based composite materials under hygrothermal conditions.

Polymer Nanocomposite Based on Pyrolyzed Polyacrylonitrile Doped with Carbon Nanotubes: Synthesis, Properties, and Mechanism of Formation

“…CNTs are promising candidates for reinforcing various polymers as they have remarkable mechanical strength, rigidity, and electrical conductivity. Incorporated into polymers, CNTs transfer their properties to the fabricated materials, yielding durable and lightweight nanocomposites [6][7][8][9].…”

“…Previous studies demonstrated that nanotubes improved the mechanical properties of polymer panels, reducing their weight [6] and increasing the efficiency of products based on epoxy resins [7]. In experimentation and theoretical research [8], the authors described carbon fiber plastic modification with carbon nanotubes. Paper [9] was devoted to enhancing the strength properties of polymers by testing the wear resistance of a sponge structure comprised epoxy resin and carbon nanotubes.…”