Single-step process to improve the mechanical properties of carbon nanotube yarn.

Maria Cecilia Evora,Nitilaksha Hiremath,Roberto Uribe,Kunlun Hong,Xinyi Lu,Jimmy Mays,Gajanan Bhat,Nam-Goo Kang

doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.52

Maria Cecilia Evora, Nitilaksha Hiremath + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.9.52

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Abstract

Carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns exhibit low tensile strength compared to conventional high-performance carbon fibers due to the facile sliding of CNTs past one another. Electron beam (e-beam) irradiation was employed for in a single-step surface modification of CNTs to improve the mechanical properties of this material. To this end, CNT yarns were simultaneously functionalized and crosslinked using acrylic acid (AA) and acrylonitrile (AN) in an e-beam irradiation process. The chemical modification of CNT yarns was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The best improvement in mechanical properties was achieved on a sample treated with an aqueous solution of AA and subsequent irradiation. CNT yarn treatment with AA enhanced the strength (444.5 ± 68.4 MPa) by more than 75% and the modulus (21.5 ± 0.6 GPa) by more than 144% as compared to untreated CNT yarn (strength 251 ± 26.5 MPa and modulus 8.8 ± 1.2 GPa).

Highlights

Due to their exceptional mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties (Young’s modulus of 1 TPa, tensile strength above 100 GPa), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising materials for various advanced technologies, including Carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced polymer composites [1,2]
We investigated the morphology and mechanical properties of multiwalled nanotube CNT yarns exposed to electron beam irradiation to, simultaneously, introduce functional groups grafted along the CNT yarn and achieve crosslinking among these functional groups
The untreated CNT yarn demonstrates a strength of 251.09 ± 26.52 MPa and a modulus of CNT yarns exhibit low tensile strength compared to conventional high-performance carbon fibers due to the facile sliding of CNTs past one another

Summary

Introduction

Due to their exceptional mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties (Young’s modulus of 1 TPa, tensile strength above 100 GPa), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising materials for various advanced technologies, including CNT-reinforced polymer composites [1,2]. We investigated the morphology and mechanical properties of multiwalled nanotube CNT yarns exposed to electron beam irradiation to, simultaneously, introduce functional groups grafted along the CNT yarn and achieve crosslinking among these functional groups. This functionalization process occurred in the CNT yarn structure.

Results

Conclusion