Dispersion Of MWCNTs Research Articles

Influence of TiO2-MWCNTs nanohybrid material on the corrosion resistance of epoxy low-zinc coatings

Aiming to improve the corrosion resistance of epoxy low-zinc coatings in marine environments, TiO2-MWCNTs nano-hybridized materials were prepared by sol-gel method in this study, and different contents of reinforcing phases were implanted as to improve the anticorrosive properties of epoxy low-zinc coatings. Characterization of the microscopic morphology, physical phase composition and chemical structure of the TiO2-MWCNTs materials demonstrated that the TiO2 hybridization was successful and the loading of TiO2 improved the dispersion of MWCNTs. To investigate the effect of the additive reinforcing phase on the mechanical and corrosion resistance of the coatings by characterizing the coating microscopic morphology, surface wettability, substrate adhesion, and impedance changes at different immersion times. The above results demonstrated that the epoxy composite coating had lower surface energy and 16 % larger surface contact angle compared with the pure epoxy low-zinc coating; the 0.4 wt% TiO2-MWCNTs/epoxy composite coating had the highest adhesion of 6.52 MPa. The electrochemical test results indicated that the TiO2-MWCNTs/epoxy low-zinc composite coating had the largest self-corrosion potential, the smallest self-corrosion current density of 4.538 μA/cm2, and the largest impedance of 242.3 KΩ/cm2. The addition of TiO2-MWCNTs reinforcing phase significantly extended the barrier protection time of the epoxy low zinc coating and maintained good corrosion resistance throughout the immersion cycle.

Multi-walled carbon nanotube-enhanced polyurethane composite materials and the application in high-performance 3D printed flexible strain sensors

Flexile strain sensors hold vast potential for applications in monitoring human motion, enabling human-machine interaction, and facilitating information transfer, etc. However, the available materials and manufacturing techniques for fabricating flexible strain sensors with high sensitivity and extended sensing range still face significant challenges. By utilizing solution casting and twin-screw extrusion techniques, this study prepared high-performance thermoplastic polyurethane/multi-walled carbon nanotube (TPU/MWCNT) nanocomposite 3D printable filaments, and employed material extrusion 3D printing technology to facilely fabricate flexible strain sensors. The 1-pyrene carboxylic acid (PCA)-modified TPU/MWCNT(3 wt%) nanocomposite exhibited outstanding mechanical properties, with a tensile strength of 24.3 ± 0.5 MPa and a fracture elongation of 625.8 ± 12.3 %. The 3D printed TPU/MWCNT(3 wt%)/PCA flexible strain sensors demonstrated amazing sensitivity (GFmax = 10279.95) within a wide strain range (0–300 % strain). The addition of PCA brings the benefits of improved dispersion of MWCNTs in the TPU composite, as well as enhanced thermal stability, and upgraded mechanical and electrical properties under different tensile strains. Meanwhile, the 3D printed samples displayed remarkable durability and reproducibility. Finally, the flexible strain sensors fabricated from this nanocomposite material could accurately perceive human motion, providing great prospects for wearable device applications.

Carbon nanotubes and nanohorns in geopolymers: A study on chemical, physical and mechanical properties

This study investigates the effects of carbon nanomaterials (CN), specifically nanohorns (CNHs) and nanotubes (MWCNTs), on geopolymer carbon nanocomposites (GCN). The research investigates 0.2%, 0.5% and 1.0% of CN and two curing conditions to understand their impact on the microstructure, morphology, and performance of GCN. Analytical techniques such as MIP, TGA-DTA, FTIR, Raman, SEM, and EDX are utilized to analyze the nanoadditives in alkali-silicate suspensions, fresh and hardened GCN. Ultrasonication is important for achieving better dispersion of MWCNTs, while CNH disperses more easily. Both MWCNTs and CNHs enhance flexural strength by up to around 58% and 44%, respectively, and reduce crack formation compared to the pristine geopolymer. Hydrothermal curing, despite leading to higher porosity, improves flexural strength due to increased geopolymerisation. The formation of a cross-polymerized network with oxo bonds and the release of water during the process contribute to increased strength and porosity, respectively.

Synthesis and sintering of 1D Al2O3@MWCNTS ceramic composite with excellent mechanical and electrical properties for advanced engineering applications

A novel strategy was exploited to synthesize one-dimensional (1D) Al2O3 ceramic by using MWCNTs as a template. The prepared amorphous alumina [Al(OH)3] was annealed at high temperatures to convert it into corundum Al2O3. Homogeneous dispersion of MWCNTs was obtained by the deposition of Al2O3 on the MWCNTs surface. Then, the calcined 1D Al2O3@MWCNTs hybrid powder was sintered at 70 MPa and 1300 ˚C for 10 min using spark plasma sintering (SPS). The microstructure analysis confirmed the uniform distribution of MWCNTs in Al2O3 ceramic. The compressive residual stresses on MWCNTs lead to a much stronger grain boundary as well as higher interfacial shear strength between the outer wall of MWCNT and Al2O3 ceramic. As a result, by the addition of only ∼1.27 wt.% MWCNTs, the flexural strength and fracture toughness along with higher electrical conductivity (315 S/m) were simultaneously enhanced up to ∼70% and ∼73%, respectively, with respect to monolithic Al2O3.

Role of multi-walled carbon nanotube particles on the wear behaviour of vacuum hot pressed Mg-AZ91 composite

The demerit of Mg-AZ91 alloy is poor wear resistance. In order to increase the wear resistance and decrease the CoF, MWCNT is reinforced in various wt% (0.5, 1, & 1.5) into Mg-AZ91 by a vacuum hot press technique. The OM image of the specimens shows the strong metallurgical bonding between matrix material, uniform dispersion of MWCNT for 0.5 and 1 wt% composites and agglomeration of MWCNT for 1.5 wt% composite. XRD analysis confirms MWCNT presence and peak shift towards a higher angle in the composites. MWCNT reinforced 1 wt% composite has exhibited the highest hardness values of 97.90 HV0.3, good wear resistance (wear rate = 3.28 × 10-5 g/m) due to the strengthening by grain size reduction and a low CoF value of 0.32 due to the self-lubrication effect of MWCNT. SEM investigation confirms that surface fatigue is the dominant wear mechanism in all specimens.

Highly Sensitive QCM Humidity Sensor Based on Fullerenol-Assisted Dispersion of Nafion/MWCNTs Composites

Water seepage of building walls is a common problem in our lives. However, the lack of early seepage detection methods often makes the problem worse. To develop effective early wall seepage detection methods, an ultra-sensitive quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) humidity sensor based on fullerenol (C <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">60</sub> -OH)-assisted dispersion of Nafion/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites is proposed. The prepared sensor shows almost 7 times higher frequency shift than pure Nafion-based sensor, which reaches -10814 Hz. This is mainly attributed to the uniform dispersion of MWCNTs in the Nafion with the assistance of C <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">60</sub> -OH to form a reticular structure that generates more voids, which greatly improves the diffusion ability of water molecules in the composite materials and thus further enhances humidity sensing properties of the sensor. The high-performance QCM humidity sensor is expected to be used for early detection of water seepage in building walls by monitoring air humidity changes near the wall surface.

Effect of NH2-MWCNTs sprayed carbon fiber on the mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate composite for lightweight structural applications

In this work, amine-Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) were reinforced on the surface of fiber fabric by solvent spray deposition method in order to improve the mechanical and thermal properties of carbon fiber/polycarbonate film (CF/PC) stacked composites. The hot press method was used to fabricate the CF/PC composites with varied NH2-MWCNTs concentrations of 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 wt.%, as well as the reference composite. The multifarious assembly features of Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the fiber surface exhibit greater interfacial mechanics and have a major influence on the load transfer efficiency of the composite. In comparison with reference CF/PC composite, the tensile strength (384.55 MPa) and modulus (23.78 GPa) of composites increase by 67% and 40% respectively for 0.1% NH2-MWCNT reinforcement, whereas flexural strength and flexural modulus increase by 98% and 80%. However, as compared to the 0.1% CNT reinforcement, the impact strength of the 0.7% increases over 6% by absorbing substantial fracture energy. The inclusion of MWCNTs lowers the glass transition temperature (Tg) of composites due to the role of molecular conformations in free surface volume of the polymer. X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and FTIR analysis confirms the functional groups present in the nanocomposite. Field Emission Scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used to analyze the dispersion and adhesion surface morphology of MWCNTs on fiber and the fiber/matrix interface interaction fractograph of tensile and impact tested samples.

Effects of molecular weight, stereo configuration of PLA, and processing on the dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and properties of corresponding nanocomposites

AbstractMultiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were dispersed and distributed via a co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder (TSE) in high (h)‐ and low (l)‐molecular‐weight amorphous and semicrystalline polylactides (PLAs) (aPLA and scPLA, respectively). Effects of PLA molecular weight and D‐lactic acid equivalents content (D‐content), as well as processing parameters, were examined on the MWCNT dispersion quality in PLA. The effectiveness of the MWCNT dispersion in various PLA matrices was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and small‐amplitude oscillatory and transient shear flow rheometry in the molten state. The results showed a better dispersion of MWCNTs in the low‐molecular‐weight PLA grades (aPLAl and scPLAl). In addition, better MWCNT dispersion was observed in aPLA grades when processed at a higher temperature of 190°C than at 150°C. At 150°C, while MWCNT bundles in aPLAl could be broken down, a good dispersion could not be achieved in aPLAh due to the lower molecular mobility at such a temperature. The electrical conductivity of the samples was also shown to increase as the MWCNT dispersion was improved. The existence of crystallites in scPLA‐based nanocomposites, however, disrupted the connectivity of the MWCNTs and decreased the final electrical conductivity. The lower molecular weight aPLAl prepared at 190°C showed the highest electrical conductivity (~10−5 S/m) at a low loading of 0.5 wt.% MWCNTs.

Energy, exergy, economic and environmental evaluations of a finned absorber tube parabolic trough collector utilizing hybrid and mono nanofluids and comparison

Parabolic trough collectors (PTCs) are an important part of solar thermal power plants. Past studies have shown that the dispersion of MWCNT or Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the working fluid of PTCs improves the performance, but there has not been any study on utilization of MWCNT–Fe3O4/Therminol VP-1 hybrid nanofluid in PTCs yet. In this study, thermal, exergy, economic and environmental evaluations of a PTC with smooth and finned absorber tubes have been performed using this hybrid nanofluid and its associated mono nanofluids. The length of PTC is 7.8 (m) and its width is 5 (m). In order to model the solar heat flux a new concentration ratio has been defined. For the high volume flow rate of 150 (L/min) and irrespective of absorber type, increasing inlet temperature reduced thermal efficiency, but change of the working fluid or change of the absorber type had minor effect on thermal and exergetic efficiencies, although the hybrid nanofluid performed slightly better. However, inlet temperature increase enhanced the exergetic efficiency significantly. The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of the PTC with internally finned absorber was higher than that of smooth absorber for all working fluids and inlet temperatures. However, for every absorber type and at any inlet temperature, utilization of mono or hybrid nanofluids did not have a significant effect on LCOE. For CO2 emission evaluation, two methods of embodied energy and life cycle have been used. Based on the method of embodied energy, the CO2 emission of the PTC with finned absorber tube was approximately 18% more than that of smooth tube for all of working fluids and inlet temperatures, while the method of life cycle predicted almost the same amount. The results showed that the method of life cycle is more accurate, since it considers all stages of PTC life time.

A review on MWCNTS: the effect of its addition on the polymer matrix

In recent years, it has been realized that nanocomposite materials are candidates for many applications in all fields due to their unique properties. This review aims to study the possibility of modifying some properties of polymers by adding carbon nanotubes to improve their properties by taking advantage of the large surface area of MWCNTs to volume ratio. For this purpose, multi-walled carbon nanotubes were used at different ratios and by different mixing methods. Then the effect of this addition was monitored by the procedure of some mechanical, electrical and thermal measurements of the resulting nanocomposite materials. The results of the tests showed that the quality of the filling depends on the way it is distributed within the polymer matrix, where the homogeneous dispersion of MWCNTs will reflect on the properties of the nanocomposite material thus benefit from the special properties of it. Also, the results showed that the addition of MWCNTs at low ratios achieved uniform distribution and dispersion, so improved the properties of the materials such as tensile strength, elongation at break and young's modulus. The ratio of 0.5 wt % of MWCNTs represented an average value for adding MWCNTs to various types of polymers. These composite nanomaterials can replace other industrial materials in many applications.

Carbon nanotubes ethylenediamine crosslinked membrane for enhanced hydrocarbons separation and filtration performance

Highly efficient membranes were prepared by forming the polymer active layer embedded with amine-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) over a polysulfone (PSF) support. Thus, CNTs were modified with ethylenediamine to obtain amine-modified CNTs which were polymerized with 1, 3, 5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride to develop efficient membranes. The ratio of amine-modified CNTs used to form the polymer was optimized. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the obtained membranes. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed a good dispersion of MWCNTs over the polymeric matrix and the successful formation of the polymeric layer. Surface hydrophilicity and roughness enhancement of the synthesized membrane were confirmed by water contact angle measurements and the AFM technique. The results indicated that with increasing the amounts of amine-modified CNTs in the membrane, the morphology, porosity, and hydrophilicity of the membrane were significantly improved, resulting in an enhanced flux and salts/hydrocarbons separation. The optimum filtration parameters produced were about 55 LMH (Lm2/h) permeability, 96% MgSO4 rejection as divalent salt, 89% NaCl rejection as monovalent salt, and 100% hydrocarbons separation. This can be explained by the favorable structure of the diamine nanotubes, the low surface roughness, and high hydrophilicity and oleophobicity induced by the incorporated nanoparticles.

Molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes for specific recognition and determination of chloramphenicol in milk

A molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor of chloramphenicol (CAP) with high sensitivity and good selectivity is introduced in this paper. Glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified by chitosan-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CS-MWCNTs), the CS could improve the dispersion of MWCNTS, and the MWCNTS could significantly improve the current response of the sensor, thus improving the sensitivity. CAP was used as a template molecule and o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) was used as a functional monomer, respectively. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared on the surface of a GCE modified with CS-MWCNTs by electro-polymerization. The MIPs provided specific recognition sites for the detection of chloramphenicol. The experimental parameters such as polymerization cycle, concentration ratio of template molecule to functional monomer, supporting electrolyte pH and incubation time were optimized. Under optimized experimental conditions, the sensor has a linear range of 0.1–1000 ng/mL and the limit of detection (LOD) of 3.3 × 10−2 ng/mL (S/N = 3). The sensor had high selectivity, good stability and reproducibility for the detection of CAP, and it has been successfully used for the determination of CAP in real spiked milk samples.

Effect of ionic liquid modified carbon nanotubes on the properties of nitrile butadiene rubber and nitrile butadiene latex nanocomposites

AbstractMultiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were widely used in nano‐polymer materials due to their excellent electrical and thermal conductivity and mechanical properties. However, the dispersion of MWCNT in the rubber matrix was usually poor due to their large aspect ratio and tendency to agglomerate. The main innovation of this technology was that the non‐covalent modification did not destroy the surface structure and original properties of MWCNT, which was a breakthrough compared to the previous covalent modification. The obtained IL‐MWCNT was still distributed in the water a month after sonication. The microstructural development of the filled network and the uniform dispersion of MWCNT in the presence of IL were analyzed by TEM. The apparent physical (cation–π/π–π) interactions between MWCNT and IL were characterized by Raman spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The high‐performance composites of IL‐MWCNT and nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) or nitrile butadiene rubber latex (NBRL) were prepared by the liquid latex blending method. The mechanical properties of the composites were improved due to the uniform distribution of IL‐MWCNT in the matrix. As found in this work, the addition of 3 phr of IL increased the mechanical properties of the composites significantly. The continued addition of IL affects the dispersion of MWCNT in the composites due to the plasticizing and diluting effects of IL, which results in a decrease in the mechanical properties. This study provides a simple, environmentally friendly method for the development of IL‐MWCNT composites.

Experimental investigation and mechanism analysis: Effect of concentration and temperature on the heat transfer characteristics of novel MWCNT-mustard oil nanofluid

ABSTRACT. The bio-oils as alternative lubricating fluid are potential solution for the automotive and industrial mechanical systems. The development of novel renewable and non-toxic bio-oils with better heat transfer distinctiveness will strengthen the economy of farmers in the agricultural based countries. The most innovative approach to improve the heat transfer characteristics of bio-oils is converting it into nanofluids by dispersing nanomaterials which has extremely high heat transfer characteristics. In this study, MWCNT-Mustard oil nanofluids were formulated through ultrasonication and their dispersion stability was estimated through Zeta-potential technique. The thermal stability of the MWCNT-Mustard oil nanofluids are estimated through thermogravimetric analysis and concentration and temperature dependent density, thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of MWCNT-Mustard oil nanofluids are also determined and their characteristics are discussed. The heat transfer characteristics of MWCNT-Mustard oil nanofluids observed through the heat pipe test rig at different inlet temperatures, mass flow rate of nanofluids and Reynolds number. The results exhibits that the dispersion of MWCNT enhances the heat transfer characteristics of MWCNT-Mustard oil nanofluids.&#x0D; &#x0D; KEY WORDS: Non-toxic bio-oils, Nanomaterials, Nanofluids, Thermogravimetric analysis, MWCNT, Mustard oil&#x0D; Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(3), 675-686. &#x0D; DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i3.16

The effect of bonding method between WC-Cr3C2–Ni and multiwall carbon nanotubes powders on the properties of composite coatings

The WC-20Cr3C2–7Ni/multiwall carbon nanotubes (WCN/MWCNTs) composite powders were prepared by mechanical bonding and surface modification, respectively. In the process of mechanical bonding method (M1), the dispersion of MWCNTs and maintained structural of composite powder (WCN1) were achieved by slurry-based dispersion. On the basis of the M1, a novel, simple and environment-friendly composite powder preparation method was proposed (M2). The surface of the composite powder (WCN2) was modified, leading to the transformation of interfacial bonding between WCN and MWCNTs from mechanical bonding to mechanical bonding accompanied by hydrogen bonding. The distribution of MWCNTs on the surface of WCN2 powder was more uniform than that of WCN1 power. The coatings (WCN, WCN1, WCN2) were prepared by high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF) spraying. Compared with the WCN coating, the homogeneous distribution of MWCNTs not only increased the hardness, elastic modulus and corrosion resistance of the WCN2 coating, but also decreased the brittleness of the WCN2 coating.

Electrochemical sensing platform based on graphitized and carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes decorated with cerium oxide nanoparticles for sensitive detection of methyl parathion

We proposed a low-cost ultrasonic-assisted strategy to prepare the graphitized and carboxylated carbon nanotubes (GR-MWCNTs-COOH) and cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles nanocomposite, which was applied to fabricate the GR-MWCNTs-COOH@CeO2/GCE sensor for the electrochemical detection of methyl parathion (MP). GR-MWCNTs-COOH with graphitization and carboxylation showed excellent conductivity property, large surface area, and gratifying hydrophilicity. Graphitization enhanced the electrical conductivity of MWCNTs, and carboxylation promoted the homogeneous dispersion of MWCNTs. The double-functionalization of MWCNTs helped form the interconnected carbon nanotubes conductive network. CeO2 nanoparticles with good catalytic ability possessed high enrichment capability of MP because of the good affinity between CeO2 and phosphate groups. Moreover, the double-functionalized GR-MWCNTs-COOH not only promoted the uniform dispersion of CeO2 nanoparticles but also compensated for the poor electrical conductivity of CeO2 nanoparticles. The GR-MWCNTs-COOH@CeO2/GCE sensor presented a low detection of limit of 0.0285 μM (MP concentration range: 0.01–10 μM). The satisfactory reproducibility, repeatability, and anti-interference were obtained at the fabricated nanohybrid sensor. When applied for the MP determination in spinach and cabbage samples, the low RSD values of 1.71–4.25% and satisfactory recoveries of 95.8–100.7% could be achieved at the GR-MWCNTs-COOH@CeO2/GCE sensor. This work provided an important reference for the design of high-performance MP sensor.

Synthesis and properties of surfactants for carbon nanotubes based on copolymers of 2-N-morpholinoethyl methacrylate with dodecyl methacrylate and styrene

The copolymerization reactivity ratios for 2-N-morpholinoethyl methacrylate (MEMA) with dodecyl methacrylate (DDMA) or styrene (ST) were estimated. The efficiency of the prepared polymers for dispersion of MWCNT in toluene was also studied. A wide range of copolymer compositions (all 10 mol% steps) were prepared using tert-butyl peroxy-2-ethylhexanoate (0.02 mol dm−3) as initiator isothermally (70 °C) to low conversions (< 10 wt%). In the case of DDMA/MEMA copolymerization, there is a slight tendency for both monomers to react more with MEMA. The reactivity ratios obtained are r(DDMA) = 0.86 and r(MEMA) = 1.05. The reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of ST/MEMA are both <1 and are r(ST) = 0.35 and r(MEMA) = 0.59, indicating a higher reactivity of each monomer with the other monomer. The addition of small amounts (10 mol%) of MEMA to DDMA homopolymer significantly increases its thermal stability (the temperature at 50 wt% loss is 46 °C higher). For ST/MEMA, the addition of MEMA gradually decreases the thermal stability (the temperature difference at 50 wt% loss between the homopolymers is 25 °C). The best dispersion of MWCNT in toluene is obtained with the ST/MEMA copolymer containing 42 mol% MEMA, as shown by UV–Vis measurements and visual inspections after the gravity test. The obtained results contribute to the further development of polymeric surfactants and stimuli-responsive polymers.

Numerical Energy Storage Efficiency of MWCNTs-Propylene Glycol by Inducing Thermal Radiations and Combined Convection Effects in the Constitutive Model.

This study examines MWCNTs-PG nanofluid with a uniform dispersion of MWCNTs in PG. It is assumed that both MWCNTs and PG exist thermally in equilibrium and no slip occurs between them. MWCNTs were suspended in PG uniformly and played a significant role. Firstly, the problem is formulated by utilizing empirical correlations, thermophysical attributes, and similarity equations. Then the model is treated numerically along with the coupling of a shooting algorithm. The results against the pertinent flow quantities were plotted and provide a basis for a comprehensive discussion, investigating whether MWCNTs-PG has high thermal storage characteristics under the effects of thermal radiation and combined convection effects. Due to their high energy storage capability, these fluids are reliable for industrial applications.

Creep, recovery and dynamic mechanical properties of PEK/MWCNT nanocomposites

The creep behavior of the poly(ether-ketone) (PEK)/MWCNT nanocomposites fabricated by solution method followed by hot pressing were studied for the first time. The incorporation of MWCNT to the PEK increased significantly the Vickers microhardness, storage modulus and glass transition temperature. The microhardness and storage modulus of the nanocomposites increased up to 47 % and 67 %, respectively compared to neat PEK. Due to better dispersion of MWCNT in the matrix, the reinforcing efficiency of the nanocomposites containing lower loading of MWCNT was found better at higher temperatures too. Both creep strain and unrecovered strain (measured at 120 °C) of the nanocomposite containing 2.07 vol% MWCNT decreased significantly compared to the neat PEK. Thereafter further addition of MWCNT into the matrix increased both creep strain and unrecovered strain compared to that of 2.07 vol% nanocomposite.

Prediction and optimization of the mechanical properties of polyamide6/polyolefin elastomer nanocomposites reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes by using a full factorial experiment

In this research, the mechanical properties of polyamide 6/polyolefin elastomer (PA6/POE) blends reinforced with carbon nanotubes have been studied. Nanocomposites consisted of 10 and 20 wt% polyolefin elastomer, 0, 1, 2, and 3 wt% carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and 5 and 10 wt% maleic anhydride (POE-gMA as coupling agent) were made by an internal mixer based on the full factorial design of experiment. Tensile and impact tests were performed to extract mechanical properties including tensile strength, elastic modulus, and impact strength. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the dispersion and distribution quality of MWCNT in the matrix. SEM images showed an acceptable distribution of carbon nanotubes up to 2 wt% in both polyamide matrices with 10 and 20 wt%, while adding 3 wt% of nanotubes in both matrices was associated with nanotubes accumulation. The test results showed that the addition of 2 wt% of carbon nanotubes improved the tensile strength and elastic modulus of the compounds by 21% and 23%, respectively. Also, the presence of up to 20 wt% of polyolefin and 10 wt% of the compatibilizer has increased the impact strength of the compounds. Finally, the R-squared above 92% for all mechanical properties showed that there is a good agreement between the experimental results and the extracted regression models.