Strengthening Mechanism of Electrothermal Actuation in the Epoxy Composite with an Embedded Carbon Nanotube Nanopaper.

Petr Slobodian,Jiri Matyas,Pavel Riha,Robert Olejnik

doi:10.3390/nano11061529

Abstract

We assessed an effect of an embedded electro-conductive multiwalled carbon nanotube nanopaper in an epoxy matrix on the release of the frozen actuation force and the actuation torque in the carbon nanotube nanopaper/epoxy composite after heating above its glass transition temperature. The presence of the nanopaper augmented the recovery of the actuation stress by the factor of two in comparison with the pure epoxy strips. We proposed a procedure that allowed us to assess this composite strengthening mechanism. The strengthening of the composite was attributed to the interlocking of the carbon nanotubes with the epoxy. When reheated, the composite samples, which contained stretched mutually intertwined nanotubes and epoxy segments, released a greater actuation stress then the epoxy samples, which comprised of less elastic networks of crosslinked segments of pure epoxy.

Highlights

A carbon nanotube (CNT) nanopaper, called buckypaper, is an aggregate of entangled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) produced by a filtering of a CNT suspension onto a membrane support
Versatility of nanopapers can be extended even further by embedding it into various materials. Such composites can be used as motion sensors [10,11], electro- and thermo-mechanical actuators [12], antenna-based gas sensors [13], adhesive films [14], thermoelectric devices [15], or built-in sensors for monitoring of material structural health [16,17]
We proposed a procedure, which allowed measuring of the strengthening of the composites and analyzing of the electrothermal actuation controlled by Joule heating

Summary

Introduction

A carbon nanotube (CNT) nanopaper, called buckypaper, is an aggregate of entangled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) produced by a filtering of a CNT suspension onto a membrane support. Properties of the nanopaper can be tailored by a selective attachment of organic or inorganic moieties to CNT surfaces [1]. Such modified nanopapers can be used for monitoring of an extensional and compressive deformation [2,3], vapor and gas adsorption [4,5], glucose level [6], liquid penetration [7,8]. Versatility of nanopapers can be extended even further by embedding it into various materials Such composites can be used as motion sensors [10,11], electro- and thermo-mechanical actuators [12], antenna-based gas sensors [13], adhesive films [14], thermoelectric devices [15], or built-in sensors for monitoring of material structural health [16,17]

Methods

Results

Conclusion