Polymer nanocomposites with improved mechanical and thermal properties by magnetically aligned carbon nanotubes

• Published in: Polymer (Guilford) Vol. 166; pp. 81 - 87
• Main Authors: Liu, Mingrui, Younes, Hammad, Hong, Haiping, Peterson, G.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 12.03.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Alignment; Fe2O3 nanoparticles; Heat conductivity; Heat transfer; Industrial applications; Iron oxides; Magnetic fields; Magnetic properties; Mechanical properties; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes; Polymer composites; Polymer matrix composites; Single wall carbon nanotubes; Sodium; Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate; SWNTs; Tensile strength; Thermal conductivity; Thermal properties; Thermodynamic properties; Weight; Alignment; Polymer composites; SWNTs; Fe2O3 nanoparticles
• ISSN: 0032-3861; 1873-2291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2019.01.031

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 Fe2O3 particles could then be stretched and aligned in a parallel configuration within the fluid. The experimental results indicated that aligning the magnetically sensitive nanoparticle (Fe2O3) 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. [Display omitted] •Iron oxide NPs were tethered successfully SWNTs in a water solution containing a NaDDBS surfactant.•SWNTs-Fe2O3 NPs were aligned in a parallel configuration in the fluid due to the application of a magnetic field.•Aligning the SWNTs-Fe2O3 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.