Carbon nanotube reinforced composites: Potential and current challenges

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 2394-2401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amal M.K. Esawi ◽  
Mahmoud M. Farag
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Reinforced Composites

The Effect of Nanotube Waviness and Agglomeration on the Elastic Property of Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Composites

2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong-Li Shi ◽  
Xi-Qiao Feng ◽  
Yonggang Y. Huang ◽  
Keh-Chih Hwang ◽  
Huajian Gao
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Effective Properties ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Elastic Stiffness ◽  
Field Method ◽  
Effective Field ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Reinforced Composites ◽  
Stiffening Effect

Owing to their superior mechanical and physical properties, carbon nanotubes seem to hold a great promise as an ideal reinforcing material for composites of high-strength and low-density. In most of the experimental results up to date, however, only modest improvements in the strength and stiffness have been achieved by incorporating carbon nanotubes in polymers. In the present paper, the stiffening effect of carbon nanotubes is quantitatively investigated by micromechanics methods. Especially, the effects of the extensively observed waviness and agglomeration of carbon nanotubes are examined theoretically. The Mori-Tanaka effective-field method is first employed to calculate the effective elastic moduli of composites with aligned or randomly oriented straight nanotubes. Then, a novel micromechanics model is developed to consider the waviness or curviness effect of nanotubes, which are assumed to have a helical shape. Finally, the influence of nanotube agglomeration on the effective stiffness is analyzed. Analytical expressions are derived for the effective elastic stiffness of carbon nanotube-reinforced composites with the effects of waviness and agglomeration. It is found that these two mechanisms may reduce the stiffening effect of nanotubes significantly. The present study not only provides the relationship between the effective properties and the morphology of carbon nanotube-reinforced composites, but also may be useful for improving and tailoring the mechanical properties of nanotube composites.

Processing and properties of carbon nanotube reinforced composites: A review

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 1152-1156
Author(s):  
S. Dinesh Kumar ◽  
M. Ravichandran ◽  
S.V. Alagarsamy ◽  
C. Chanakyan ◽  
M. Meignanamoorthy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Reinforced Composites

Prediction of elastic properties of carbon nanotube reinforced composites

2005 ◽  
Vol 461 (2058) ◽  
pp. 1685-1710 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Hu ◽  
H Fukunaga ◽  
C Lu ◽  
M Kameyama ◽  
B Yan
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Molecular Mechanics ◽  
Elastic Properties ◽  
Polymer Matrix ◽  
Material Properties ◽  
Transition Layer ◽  
Beam Model ◽  
Reinforced Composites ◽  
Computational Structural Mechanics

In this paper, the macroscopic elastic properties of carbon nanotube reinforced composites are evaluated through analysing the elastic deformation of a representative volume element (RVE) under various loading conditions. This RVE contains three components, i.e. a carbon nanotube, a transition layer between the nanotube and polymer matrix and an outer polymer matrix body. First, based on the force field theory of molecular mechanics and computational structural mechanics, an equivalent beam model is constructed to model the carbon nanotube effectively. The explicit relationships between the material properties of the equivalent beam element and the force constants have been set-up. Second, to describe the interaction between the nanotube and the outer polymer matrix at the level of atoms, the molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics computations have been performed to obtain the thickness and material properties of the transition layer. Moreover, an efficient three-dimensional eight-noded brick finite element is employed to model the transition layer and the outer polymer matrix. The macroscopic behaviours of the RVE can then be evaluated through the traditional finite element method. In the numerical simulations, the influences of various important factors, such as the stiffness of transition layer and geometry of RVE, on the final macroscopic material properties of composites have been investigated in detail.

Experimental Investigation of Mechanical Behavior of Carbon-Nanotube Reinforced Cement Mortar

2011 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 217-220
Author(s):  
Li Wu Chang ◽  
Jin Chao Yue ◽  
Yu Zhou Sun
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Cement Mortar ◽  
Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Weight Ratio ◽  
Ultrasonic Energy ◽  
Reinforced Composites ◽  
Effective Dispersion ◽  
Optimum Weight ◽  
Reinforced Cement ◽  
Multiwall Carbon

In this study, effective dispersion of different amount of multiwall carbon nanotubes was achieved using a surfactant and in combination with the use of ultrasonic energy. The effects of surfactant and surfactant concentration on the plain cement mortar were investigated. Moreover, the mechanical behaviors of the carbon-nanotube reinforced composites were also analyzed. Experimental results indicate that the application of ultrasonic energy is absolutely necessary to produce a satisfactory dispersion of MWCNTs, and there exists an optimum weight ratio of surfactant to MWCNTs. It is found that the proper dispersion of MWCNTs can remarkably improve the flexural strength, compressive strength, and the toughness of the cement mortar composites.

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