Determining the Tensile Properties and Dispersion Characterization of CNTs in Epoxy Using Tem and Raman Spectroscopy

M. Bourchak; K. A. Juhany; N. Salah; R. Ajaj; A. Algarni; F. Scarpa

doi:10.1007/s11029-020-09874-6

Determining the Tensile Properties and Dispersion Characterization of CNTs in Epoxy Using Tem and Raman Spectroscopy

M. Bourchak, K. A. Juhany, N. Salah, R. Ajaj, A. Algarni, F. Scarpa

Aerospace Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this work, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy were used to assess the dispersion quality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in an epoxy matrix. Its ultimate tensile strength (UTS), engineering strain, local strain, and the elastic tensile modulus were determined experimentally. The effect of CNT sonication time in an ethanol medium was also evaluated. A statistical analysis using the t-test approach was employed to clarify how the use of CNTs affects the mechanical properties of the matrix. An increase in the UTS by 10 and 7% was observed in the cases of 0.1 wt.% single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), respectively, but the elastic modulus increased significantly when using MWCNTs. A TEM analysis indicated that the dispersion quality was proportional to the content of CNTs. It is concluded that a CNT-reinforced epoxy matrix is highly sensitive to the amount of CNTs, which can explain the conflicting properties reported for such matrices in the literature.

Original language	British English
Pages (from-to)	215-226
Number of pages	12
Journal	Mechanics of Composite Materials
Volume	56
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11029-020-09874-6
State	Published - 1 May 2020

Keywords

carbon nanotubes
dispersion
sonication
tensile properties
transmission electron microscopy

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title = "Determining the Tensile Properties and Dispersion Characterization of CNTs in Epoxy Using Tem and Raman Spectroscopy",

abstract = "In this work, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy were used to assess the dispersion quality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in an epoxy matrix. Its ultimate tensile strength (UTS), engineering strain, local strain, and the elastic tensile modulus were determined experimentally. The effect of CNT sonication time in an ethanol medium was also evaluated. A statistical analysis using the t-test approach was employed to clarify how the use of CNTs affects the mechanical properties of the matrix. An increase in the UTS by 10 and 7% was observed in the cases of 0.1 wt.% single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), respectively, but the elastic modulus increased significantly when using MWCNTs. A TEM analysis indicated that the dispersion quality was proportional to the content of CNTs. It is concluded that a CNT-reinforced epoxy matrix is highly sensitive to the amount of CNTs, which can explain the conflicting properties reported for such matrices in the literature.",

keywords = "carbon nanotubes, dispersion, sonication, tensile properties, transmission electron microscopy",

author = "M. Bourchak and Juhany, {K. A.} and N. Salah and R. Ajaj and A. Algarni and F. Scarpa",

note = "Funding Information: This project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR), at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, under grant No. G–511–135–36. The authors, with thanks, acknowledge DSR for the technical and financial support. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.",

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AU - Juhany, K. A.

AU - Salah, N.

AU - Ajaj, R.

AU - Algarni, A.

AU - Scarpa, F.

N1 - Funding Information: This project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR), at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, under grant No. G–511–135–36. The authors, with thanks, acknowledge DSR for the technical and financial support. Publisher Copyright: © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

PY - 2020/5/1

Y1 - 2020/5/1

N2 - In this work, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy were used to assess the dispersion quality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in an epoxy matrix. Its ultimate tensile strength (UTS), engineering strain, local strain, and the elastic tensile modulus were determined experimentally. The effect of CNT sonication time in an ethanol medium was also evaluated. A statistical analysis using the t-test approach was employed to clarify how the use of CNTs affects the mechanical properties of the matrix. An increase in the UTS by 10 and 7% was observed in the cases of 0.1 wt.% single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), respectively, but the elastic modulus increased significantly when using MWCNTs. A TEM analysis indicated that the dispersion quality was proportional to the content of CNTs. It is concluded that a CNT-reinforced epoxy matrix is highly sensitive to the amount of CNTs, which can explain the conflicting properties reported for such matrices in the literature.

AB - In this work, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy were used to assess the dispersion quality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in an epoxy matrix. Its ultimate tensile strength (UTS), engineering strain, local strain, and the elastic tensile modulus were determined experimentally. The effect of CNT sonication time in an ethanol medium was also evaluated. A statistical analysis using the t-test approach was employed to clarify how the use of CNTs affects the mechanical properties of the matrix. An increase in the UTS by 10 and 7% was observed in the cases of 0.1 wt.% single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), respectively, but the elastic modulus increased significantly when using MWCNTs. A TEM analysis indicated that the dispersion quality was proportional to the content of CNTs. It is concluded that a CNT-reinforced epoxy matrix is highly sensitive to the amount of CNTs, which can explain the conflicting properties reported for such matrices in the literature.

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KW - sonication

KW - tensile properties

KW - transmission electron microscopy

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Determining the Tensile Properties and Dispersion Characterization of CNTs in Epoxy Using Tem and Raman Spectroscopy

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