Effect of processing technique on the dispersion of carbon nanotubes within polypropylene carbon nanotube-composites and its effect on their mechanical properties

Effect of processing technique on the dispersion of carbon nanotubes within polypropylene carbon nanotube-composites and its effect on their mechanical properties

Carbon nanotube‐reinforced polymer composites are being investigated as promising new materials having enhanced physical and mechanical properties. With regards to mechanical behavior, the enhancements reported thus far by researchers are lower than the theoretical predictions. One of the key requir...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymer composites Vol. 31; no. 5; pp. 772 - 780
Main Authors: Esawi, Amal M.K., Salem, Hanadi G., Hussein, Hanady M., Ramadan, Adham R.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-05-2010
Wiley
Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Carbon
Carbon nanotubes
Composites
Dispersions
Exact sciences and technology
Forms of application and semi-finished materials
Mechanical properties
Nanocomposites
Nanomaterials
Nanostructure
Polymer industry, paints, wood
Polypropylenes
Technology of polymers
Solvent effect
Elastic modulus
Dispersion degree
Propylene polymer
Carbon nanotubes
Mechanical properties
Dispersion reinforced material
Hardness
Experimental study
Property processing relationship
Composite material
Multiwalled nanotube
Morphology
Isotactic polymer
Concentration effect
Extrusion
Olefin polymer
Nanocomposite
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Summary:Carbon nanotube‐reinforced polymer composites are being investigated as promising new materials having enhanced physical and mechanical properties. With regards to mechanical behavior, the enhancements reported thus far by researchers are lower than the theoretical predictions. One of the key requirements to attaining enhanced behavior is a uniform dispersion of the nanotubes within the polymer matrix. Although solvent mixing has been used extensively, there are concerns that any remaining solvent within the composite may degrade its mechanical properties. In this work, a comparison is carried out between solvent and “solvent‐free” dry mixing for dispersing multiwall carbon nanotubes in polypropylene before further melt mixing by extrusion. Various weight fractions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are added to the polymer and their effect on the mechanical properties of the resulting composites is investigated. Enhancements in yield strength, hardness, and Young's modulus when compared with the neat polymer, processed under similar conditions, are observed. Differences in mechanical properties and strain as a function of the processing technique (solvent or dry) are also clearly noted. In addition, different trends of enhancement of mechanical properties for the solvent and dry‐mixed extrudates are observed. Dry mixing produces composites with the highest yield strength, hardness, and modulus at 0.5 wt% CNT, whereas solvent mixing produces the highest mechanical properties at CNT contents of 1 wt%. It is believed that this difference is primarily dependent on the dispersion of CNTs within the polymer matrix which is influenced by the processing technique. Field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis shows the presence of clusters in large wt% CNT samples produced by dry mixing. Samples produced by solvent mixing are found to contain homogeneously distributed CNTs at all CNT wt fractions. CNT pull‐out is observed and may explain the limited enhancement in mechanical properties. POLYM. COMPOS., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Bibliography:istex:E0B822460E8861AD157D22761621B937FD4E372A
ArticleID:PC20859
ark:/67375/WNG-5CMPXL96-9
ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ISSN:0272-8397
1548-0569
DOI:10.1002/pc.20859