Process, Structure, and Properties of Electrospun Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Nanocomposite Yarns

Jie Xiong,Frank Ko,Bakhtier Farouk,Franco Capaldi,Nasir M. Uddin

doi:10.1155/2009/868917

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are dispersed into polyacrylonitrile polymer solution and then assembled into continuous nanocomposite yarns through the drum-tape co-electrospinning process to facilitate the translation of CNT properties to higher order structures. We explore the dispersion of CNTs in a polymer matrix, the process of obtaining continuous yarn through electrospinning, and the surface morphology and mechanical properties of the nanocomposite yarn.

Highlights

IntroductionA new class of engineered nanomaterials with superior properties (modulus of about 1.0 TPa [1]) has emerged due to the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by Iijima in 1991 [2]
A new class of engineered nanomaterials with superior properties has emerged due to the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by Iijima in 1991 [2]
The current study demonstrates the successful creation of continuous yarn and characterizes the level of dispersion of CNTs in the polymer matrix, the surface morphology, and the mechanical properties of nanocomposite yarns

Summary

Introduction

A new class of engineered nanomaterials with superior properties (modulus of about 1.0 TPa [1]) has emerged due to the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by Iijima in 1991 [2]. There are many promising applications for CNT-reinforced continuous polymer yarns. It can be extended to obtain CNT reinforced carbon fiber from the continuous polymer yarn. This study emphasizes the process, structure, and properties of obtaining continuous polymer yarn which could be used as precursor to obtain carbon fiber. Nanofibers are collected in the form of 2D fibrous nonwoven mats; linear fiber assemblies (yarns) can be produced It has been shown by Ko et al [6, 7] that nanofibrous yarns can be directly produced from the electrospinning process under well-controlled processing conditions for some polymers. The current study demonstrates the successful creation of continuous yarn and characterizes the level of dispersion of CNTs in the polymer matrix, the surface morphology, and the mechanical properties of nanocomposite yarns

Experiment

Results and Discussion

Conclusion