Improvements in mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of e-glass/epoxy composites using amino functionalized MWCNTs

• Published in: Composite structures Vol. 94; no. 8; pp. 2397 - 2406
• Main Authors: Rahman, M.M., Zainuddin, S., Hosur, M.V., Malone, J.E., Salam, M.B.A., Kumar, Ashok, Jeelani, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2012
• Subjects: Adhesive bonding; Calendaring; Crosslinking; Dispersions; E glass; Functionalized MWCNTs; Glass fiber reinforced plastics; Loads (forces); Mechanical analysis; Mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties; Polymer matrix composites; Sonication; Sonication; Mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties; Calendaring; Functionalized MWCNTs
• ISSN: 0263-8223; 1879-1085
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2012.03.014

The prime objective of this work is to optimize the mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of e-glass/epoxy composites by utilizing amino-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs–NH2) through a combination of dispersion method. At first, 0.1–0.4wt.% of MWCNT–NH2 was integrated into SC-15 epoxy suspension using a combination of ultra-sonication and calendaring techniques. E-glass/epoxy nanocomposites were than fabricated at elevated temperature with the modified resin using hand layup and compression hot press. 3-Point flexural and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) results demonstrated a linearly increasing trend in properties from 0 to 0.3wt.% loading. Micrographs of MWCNTs incorporated epoxy and e-glass/epoxy samples revealed uniform dispersion of MWCNTs in epoxy, good interfacial adhesion between CNTs and polymer, and improved interfacial bonding between fiber/matrix at 0.3wt.% loading. An improved dispersion and hence an improved crosslink interaction between MWCNT–NH2 and epoxy lead to the stronger shift of the mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of the composites.