Abstract
The ability to control the carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersion in polymers is considered the key to most applications of nanotube/polymer composites. The carbon nanotube dispersion into water with different surfactants, as well as its incorporation into phenolic resins, was investigated. Ultrasonication of liquid suspensions was used to prepare stable dispersions. In order to evaluate the best surfactant to be used, light scattering and UV-Visible spectroscopy were employed. The structure of CNT reinforced of phenolic resin was analyzed in function of the concentration and type of surfactant, sonication power and time. It was also evaluated the influence in the dispersion by using the glass temperature transition properties being obtained by dynamic mechanical analyses and impact energy.
Highlights
UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and impact energy studies were used in order to characterize the respective carbon nanotube (CNT)-composites
The effects of the sonication strength can result in breaking of the tubes. This process can be monitored by light scattering, in which small values is correlated to breaking of the nanotubes
It was demonstrated that the CNT dispersion technique using an appropriate concentration of surfactant can be used to produce CNT/phenolic resin composites with good carbon nanotube dispersion quality
Summary
Polymer composites based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted tremendous attention during these last years due to the impressive mechanical properties of CNTs, including high modulus value (around 1TPa), strength of 50-200 GPa, failure strain of up to 15% and electrical conductivity ranging from semiconducting to metallic, depending on their structure.[1,2,3,4,5]The interaction between functional groups of the compatibilizer and carboxyl or amine groups of multi wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) stabilized the morphology and improved the interfacial interaction between MWCNTs and the thermoset matrix.[6,7] In general, the nanoscale dispersion of MWCNTs in polymeric matrix is achieved by strong hydrogen bonding between hydroxyl groups of the MWCNTs and polymer groups. To stabilize CNT dispersion into water, two different surfactants (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate (PSSS) and SDS) were used.
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