Solvent Free, Efficient, Industrially Viable, Fast Dispersion Process Based Amine Modified MWCNT Reinforced Epoxy Composites Of Superior Mechanical Properties

¹Physics and Engineering of Carbon, Division of Materials Physics and Engineering, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 12, India

²Centre for Polymer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Delhi 16, India

³Electron Microscopy Section, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 12, India

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2015, 6 (2), pp 104-113

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2015.5612

Publication Date (Web): Feb 08, 2015

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail:bps@nplindia.org

Abstract

Dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into epoxy resin is a challenging task for the process to be viable on industrial scale. Herein, amine functionalized MWCNTs (Am-MWCNTs) were reinforced into epoxy resin using industrially viable, fast, efficient, solvent free, high speed homogenizer dispersion technique. Am-MWCNTs ranging from 0.1 to 0.75% by w/w were loaded in epoxy and the effects of loading of Am-MWCNTs on mechanical properties of epoxy composites are investigated. The flexural strength of Am-MWCNTs based epoxy composites reached up to 163 MPa for 0.5 wt% MWCNTs loaded sample compared to 95 MPa for pure cured epoxy sample; an overall improvement of 72% in the flexural strength. In addition to this, the flexural modulus value reached to 3795 MPa for 0.75 wt% Am-MWCNTs loaded sample from 2250 MPa for pure epoxy sample, an improvement of 69%. The enhancement in the mechanical properties was correlated with the dynamic scanning calorimeter results, TEM and SEM images of fractured surface. The substantial improvement in the mechanical properties of the epoxy resin at such low CNT loading can open a venue for the preparation of structurally strong structures for aerospace, defence, automobile and sports industries.

Keywords

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes, functionalization, mechanical properties, dispersion, high speed homogenizer.