Mechanical, Electrical, and Thermal Properties of Carbon Nanotube Buckypapers/Epoxy Nanocomposites Produced by Oxidized and Epoxidized Nanotubes.

George Trakakis,Vitaliy Datsyuk,John Parthenios,Kostas Papagelis,Georgia Tomara,Costas Galiotis,Christoforos Krontiras,Labrini Sygellou,Dimitrios Tasis,Asterios Bakolas,Stavroula Georga

doi:10.3390/ma13194308

Abstract

High volume fraction carbon nanotube (CNT) composites (7.5–16% vol.) were fabricated by the impregnation of CNT buckypapers into epoxy resin. To enhance the interfacial reaction with the epoxy resin, the CNTs were modified by two different treatments, namely, an epoxidation treatment and a chemical oxidation. The chemical treatment was found to result in CNT length severance and to affect the porosity of the buckypapers, having an important impact on the physico-mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. Overall, the mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of the impregnated buckypapers were found to be superior of the neat epoxy resin, offering an attractive combination of mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties for multifunctional composites.

Highlights

Graphitic nanostructures have attracted great scientific and industrial attention recently due to their exceptional mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties [1]
Buckypapers were immersed into an epoxy/hardener mixture followed by refrigeration for prepregs formation
carbon nanotube (CNT) individual CNTs from unmodified, and HG-O batches were observed by TEM

Summary

Introduction

Graphitic nanostructures have attracted great scientific and industrial attention recently due to their exceptional mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties [1]. Graphitic nano-inclusions, such as CNTs and graphene, have to be incorporated into matrices in order to be used in various applications. This requires adequate interface interactions between the inclusion and the matrix in order to exploit the extraordinary physical and mechanical properties of graphitic materials. Another challenge relates to adequate processing methods for efficient impregnation of the nano-inclusions. The most common preparation method is the vacuum filtration of well-dispersed CNT suspensions [2]

Methods

Results

Conclusion