Single-walled carbon nanotube–epoxy composites for structural and conductive aerospace adhesives. (February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jakubinek, Michael B.; Ashrafi, Behnam; Zhang, Yunfa; Martinez-Rubi, Yadienka; Kingston, Christopher T.; Johnston, Andrew; Simard, Benoit
• Is Part Of: Composites. Volume 69(2015)
• Page Start: 87
• Page End: 93
• Publication Date: 2015-02
• Subjects: A. Nano-structures -- A. Polymer–matrix composites -- B. Electrical properties -- E. Joints/joining -- Conductive adhesives; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Materials science -- Periodicals; Composite materials; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 620.118
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2014.09.022
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-8368

Abstract

Abstract: Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were incorporated at low loading (up to ∼1 wt%) into an unfilled aerospace-grade epoxy system, to impart electrical conductivity while maintaining structural bonding capability, as a route for development of a structural and conductive adhesive. At these low SWCNT loadings the tensile properties were maintained or improved, while strength decreased in a higher loading case. The structural bonding performance of composite-to-composite joints, evaluated in lap-shear and peel tests, was reasonably maintained for adhesives containing 0.5 wt% or 1 wt% SWCNTs. In the case of the 0.5 wt% SWCNT–adhesive, peel and lap-shear strength were unchanged while the addition of 1 wt% resulted in 30% increase of peel strength but the lap-shear strength was reduced by 10–15%. For 1 wt% SWCNT–adhesives, conductivities as high as 10 − 1 S m − 1 and typically ∼10 − 3 S m − 1 were achieved. Joint electrical resistance measured between aluminum adherends was larger than predicted by the bulk conductivity, but was reduced by a post-treatment step resulting in apparent joint conductivities within one order of magnitude of the bulk samples.