Polymer nanocomposites with improved mechanical and thermal properties by magnetically aligned carbon nanotubes. (12th March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Mingrui; Younes, Hammad; Hong, Haiping; Peterson, G.P.
• Is Part Of: Polymer. Volume 166(2019)
• Page Start: 81
• Page End: 87
• Publication Date: 2019-03-12
• Subjects: SWNTs -- Fe2O3 nanoparticles -- Alignment -- Polymer composites; Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; Polymères -- Périodiques; Polymérisation -- Périodiques; 547.7
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2019.01.031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3861

Abstract

Abstract: A procedure to successfully tether iron oxide nanoparticles to Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs) in a water solution containing a sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate surfactant was developed. Through the application of a magnetic field, the SWNTs with tethered Fe2 O3 particles could then be stretched and aligned in a parallel configuration within the fluid. The experimental results indicated that aligning the magnetically sensitive nanoparticle (Fe2 O3 ) attached SWNTs in a polymer matrix under a magnetic field, may substantially improve the physical and mechanical properties of the composites. In this investigation, the mechanical and thermal properties of SWNTs/epoxy composites were investigated to determine the potential impact of the SWNT alignment. Neat epoxy composites were produced to serve as a baseline and the results compared with composites loaded with magnetically sensitive SWNTs with weight percentages of 1 wt% and 2 wt%, both with and without magnetic field alignment. The results indicate that the alignment has a significant effect on the mechanical properties, with 1 wt% loaded composites under a magnetic field exhibiting a 9.8% enhancement in tensile strength compared to 1 wt% loaded composites in the absence of the magnetic field. Similarly, 2 wt% loaded composites under a magnetic field demonstrated a 9.7% enhancement in tensile strength compared to 2 wt% loaded composites without the magnetic field. The thermal conductivity of 0.1 wt %, 0.2 wt %, 0.3 wt%, 0.4 wt% and 0.5 wt% loaded composites under a magnetic field were also evaluated and indicated a 35% increase over the baseline values. As a result, this new alignment methodology may provide significant opportunities by which varying tensile strength and thermal conductivity can be used in both research and industrial applications. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Iron oxide NPs were tethered successfully SWNTs in a water solution containing a NaDDBS surfactant. SWNTs-Fe2 O3 NPs were aligned in a parallel configuration in the fluid due to the application of a magnetic field. Aligning the SWNTs-Fe2 O3 in a polymer matrix using magnetic field improved the mechanical properties of the composites. The alignment method may open a varying field for the applications both in research and industry.