Surface Activation of Carbon Nanotubes Generating a Chemical Interaction in Epoxy Nanocomposite
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are known for having high elastic properties with high surface area that promote them as good candidates for reinforcing polymeric matrices. In composite materials, CNTs lack chemical bonding with the surrounding matrix which decreases the possibility of better stress transfer between the components. In this work, a chemical treatment for activating the surface of the multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) was applied and the effect of this functionalization on the elastic properties of the epoxy nanocomposites was studied. Functional amino-groups were added to the surface of the CNTs and it was evaluated to be about 34% of the total weight of the CNTs. Elastic modulus was found to increase by about 40% of the neat epoxy resin at CNTs’ weight fraction of 0.5%. The elastic modulus was found to decrease after reaching a certain concentration of CNTs which was found to be 1% wt. The scanning electron microscopic pictures showed the effect of the CNTs on the crack propagation through the sample by forming stress concentrated spots at the nanocomposite samples.
[1] S. B. Sinnott, "Chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes," Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, vol. 2, pp. 113-123, 2002.
[2] Allaoui, S. Bai, H.-M. Cheng, and J. B. Bai, "Mechanical and electrical properties of a MWNT/epoxy composite," Composites Science and Technology, vol. 62, pp. 1993-1998, 2002.
[3] S. Niyogi, M. A. Hamon, H. Hu, B. Zhao, P. Bhowmik, R. Sen, et al., "Chemistry of single-walled carbon nanotubes," Accounts of Chemical Research, vol. 35, pp. 1105-1113, 2002.
[4] S. Iijima, "Helical microtubules of graphitic carbon," nature, vol. 354, pp. 56-58, 1991.
[5] F. H. Gojny, M. H. G. Wichmann, B. Fiedler, and K. Schulte, "Influence of different carbon nanotubes on the mechanical properties of epoxy matrix composites–a comparative study," Composites Science and Technology, vol. 65, pp. 2300-2313, 2005.
[6] J. Sandler, M. S. P. Shaffer, T. Prasse, W. Bauhofer, K. Schulte, and A. H. Windle, "Development of a dispersion process for carbon nanotubes in an epoxy matrix and the resulting electrical properties," Polymer, vol. 40, pp. 5967-5971, 1999.
[7] K. Schulte, F. Gojny, B. Fiedler, J. W. Sandler, and W. Bauhofer, "Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Polymers: a State of the Art Review," in Polymer Composites, ed: Springer US, 2005, pp. 3-23.
[8] S. J. V. Frankland, A. Caglar, D. W. Brenner, and M. Griebel, "Molecular simulation of the influence of chemical cross-links on the shear strength of carbon nanotube-polymer interfaces," The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, vol. 106, pp. 3046-3048, 2002.
[9] F. H. Gojny, M. H. G. Wichmann, U. Köpke, B. Fiedler, and K. Schulte, "Carbon nanotube-reinforced epoxy-composites: enhanced stiffness and fracture toughness at low nanotube content," Composites Science and Technology, vol. 64, pp. 2363-2371, 2004.
[10] F. H. Gojny, J. Nastalczyk, Z. Roslaniec, and K. Schulte, "Surface modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes in CNT/epoxy-composites," Chemical Physics Letters, vol. 370, pp. 820-824, 2003.
[11] J. B. Bai and A. Allaoui, "Effect of the length and the aggregate size of MWNTs on the improvement efficiency of the mechanical and electrical properties of nanocomposites—experimental investigation," Composites Part A: applied science and manufacturing, vol. 34, pp. 689-694, 2003.
[12] S. Banerjee, M. G. C. Kahn, and S. S. Wong, "Rational chemical strategies for carbon nanotube functionalization," Chemistry-A European Journal, vol. 9, pp. 1898-1908, 2003.
[13] M. S. Strano, V. C. Moore, M. K. Miller, M. J. Allen, E. H. Haroz, C. Kittrell, et al., "The role of surfactant adsorption during ultrasonication in the dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes," Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, vol. 3, pp. 1-2, 2003.
[14] A. Hirsch, "Functionalization of single‐walled carbon nanotubes," Angewandte Chemie International Edition, vol. 41, pp. 1853-1859, 2002.
[15] J. L. Bahr and J. M. Tour, "Covalent chemistry of single-wall carbon nanotubes," Journal of Materials Chemistry, vol. 12, pp. 1952-1958, 2002.
[16] Y.-P. Sun, K. Fu, Y. Lin, and W. Huang, "Functionalized carbon nanotubes: properties and applications," Accounts of Chemical Research, vol. 35, pp. 1096-1104, 2002.
[17] Zaman, I., Kuan, H.C., Meng, Q., Michelmore, A., Kawashima, N., Pitt, T., Zhang, L., Gouda, S., Luong, L., and Ma, J., “A facile approach to chemically modified graphene and its polymer nanocomposites,” Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 22, pp. 2735–2743, 2012.
[18] S. Wang, Z. Liang, T. Liu, B. Wang, and C. Zhang, "Effective amino-functionalization of carbon nanotubes for reinforcing epoxy polymer composites," Nanotechnology, vol. 17, pp. 1551, 2006.
[19] K. Yang, M. Gu, Y. Guo, X. Pan, and G. Mu, "Effects of carbon nanotube functionalization on the mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy composites," Carbon, vol. 47, pp. 1723-1737, 2009.
[20] L. Liu and H. D. Wagner, "Rubbery and glassy epoxy resins reinforced with carbon nanotubes," Composites Science and Technology, vol. 65, pp. 1861-1868, 2005.
[1] S. B. Sinnott, "Chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes," Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, vol. 2, pp. 113-123, 2002.
[2] Allaoui, S. Bai, H.-M. Cheng, and J. B. Bai, "Mechanical and electrical properties of a MWNT/epoxy composite," Composites Science and Technology, vol. 62, pp. 1993-1998, 2002.
[3] S. Niyogi, M. A. Hamon, H. Hu, B. Zhao, P. Bhowmik, R. Sen, et al., "Chemistry of single-walled carbon nanotubes," Accounts of Chemical Research, vol. 35, pp. 1105-1113, 2002.
[4] S. Iijima, "Helical microtubules of graphitic carbon," nature, vol. 354, pp. 56-58, 1991.
[5] F. H. Gojny, M. H. G. Wichmann, B. Fiedler, and K. Schulte, "Influence of different carbon nanotubes on the mechanical properties of epoxy matrix composites–a comparative study," Composites Science and Technology, vol. 65, pp. 2300-2313, 2005.
[6] J. Sandler, M. S. P. Shaffer, T. Prasse, W. Bauhofer, K. Schulte, and A. H. Windle, "Development of a dispersion process for carbon nanotubes in an epoxy matrix and the resulting electrical properties," Polymer, vol. 40, pp. 5967-5971, 1999.
[7] K. Schulte, F. Gojny, B. Fiedler, J. W. Sandler, and W. Bauhofer, "Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Polymers: a State of the Art Review," in Polymer Composites, ed: Springer US, 2005, pp. 3-23.
[8] S. J. V. Frankland, A. Caglar, D. W. Brenner, and M. Griebel, "Molecular simulation of the influence of chemical cross-links on the shear strength of carbon nanotube-polymer interfaces," The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, vol. 106, pp. 3046-3048, 2002.
[9] F. H. Gojny, M. H. G. Wichmann, U. Köpke, B. Fiedler, and K. Schulte, "Carbon nanotube-reinforced epoxy-composites: enhanced stiffness and fracture toughness at low nanotube content," Composites Science and Technology, vol. 64, pp. 2363-2371, 2004.
[10] F. H. Gojny, J. Nastalczyk, Z. Roslaniec, and K. Schulte, "Surface modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes in CNT/epoxy-composites," Chemical Physics Letters, vol. 370, pp. 820-824, 2003.
[11] J. B. Bai and A. Allaoui, "Effect of the length and the aggregate size of MWNTs on the improvement efficiency of the mechanical and electrical properties of nanocomposites—experimental investigation," Composites Part A: applied science and manufacturing, vol. 34, pp. 689-694, 2003.
[12] S. Banerjee, M. G. C. Kahn, and S. S. Wong, "Rational chemical strategies for carbon nanotube functionalization," Chemistry-A European Journal, vol. 9, pp. 1898-1908, 2003.
[13] M. S. Strano, V. C. Moore, M. K. Miller, M. J. Allen, E. H. Haroz, C. Kittrell, et al., "The role of surfactant adsorption during ultrasonication in the dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes," Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, vol. 3, pp. 1-2, 2003.
[14] A. Hirsch, "Functionalization of single‐walled carbon nanotubes," Angewandte Chemie International Edition, vol. 41, pp. 1853-1859, 2002.
[15] J. L. Bahr and J. M. Tour, "Covalent chemistry of single-wall carbon nanotubes," Journal of Materials Chemistry, vol. 12, pp. 1952-1958, 2002.
[16] Y.-P. Sun, K. Fu, Y. Lin, and W. Huang, "Functionalized carbon nanotubes: properties and applications," Accounts of Chemical Research, vol. 35, pp. 1096-1104, 2002.
[17] Zaman, I., Kuan, H.C., Meng, Q., Michelmore, A., Kawashima, N., Pitt, T., Zhang, L., Gouda, S., Luong, L., and Ma, J., “A facile approach to chemically modified graphene and its polymer nanocomposites,” Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 22, pp. 2735–2743, 2012.
[18] S. Wang, Z. Liang, T. Liu, B. Wang, and C. Zhang, "Effective amino-functionalization of carbon nanotubes for reinforcing epoxy polymer composites," Nanotechnology, vol. 17, pp. 1551, 2006.
[19] K. Yang, M. Gu, Y. Guo, X. Pan, and G. Mu, "Effects of carbon nanotube functionalization on the mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy composites," Carbon, vol. 47, pp. 1723-1737, 2009.
[20] L. Liu and H. D. Wagner, "Rubbery and glassy epoxy resins reinforced with carbon nanotubes," Composites Science and Technology, vol. 65, pp. 1861-1868, 2005.
@article{"International Journal of Chemical, Materials and Biomolecular Sciences:71091", author = "Mohamed Eldessouki and Ebraheem Shady and Yasser Gowayed", title = "Surface Activation of Carbon Nanotubes Generating a Chemical Interaction in Epoxy Nanocomposite", abstract = "Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are known for having high elastic properties with high surface area that promote them as good candidates for reinforcing polymeric matrices. In composite materials, CNTs lack chemical bonding with the surrounding matrix which decreases the possibility of better stress transfer between the components. In this work, a chemical treatment for activating the surface of the multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) was applied and the effect of this functionalization on the elastic properties of the epoxy nanocomposites was studied. Functional amino-groups were added to the surface of the CNTs and it was evaluated to be about 34% of the total weight of the CNTs. Elastic modulus was found to increase by about 40% of the neat epoxy resin at CNTs’ weight fraction of 0.5%. The elastic modulus was found to decrease after reaching a certain concentration of CNTs which was found to be 1% wt. The scanning electron microscopic pictures showed the effect of the CNTs on the crack propagation through the sample by forming stress concentrated spots at the nanocomposite samples.
", keywords = "Carbon nanotubes functionalization, crack propagation, elastic modulus, epoxy nanocomposites.", volume = "8", number = "4", pages = "370-5", }
