Influence of Processing Parameters on the Mechanical Behavior of CNTs/Epoxy Nanocomposites

Abstract

Due to their extraordinary mechanical and physical properties, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) represent attractive possibilities for developing a potential polymeric composite. This chapter presents in the first part, the fabrication process of epoxy based Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) reinforced composites using solution processing and direct mixing. The variation in the some processing parameters like stirring time, speed of stirring, curing temperature has results in the improvement of mechanical properties like Young’s modulus, yield strength, elongation at break. In fact, the change in the preparation methods parameters has a great effect in the mechanical and morphological properties of nanocomposites due to the effective load transfer mechanism and the state of dispersion. The change in properties has been verified by a comparison between the mechanical properties of all samples subjected to a tension. Experimental results reveal that the nanocomposite prepared at (80 °C, 200 rpm, 2 h of stirring) present a higher mechanical properties comparing to the others. In the second part of this chapter, damping behavior of different CNTs/Epoxy nanocomposites samples are investigated by making mechanical hysteresis test in order to constructed the strain—stress curve loaded at different strain to obtain the energy lost.