Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Polymer-Matrix Reinforced Plastics
Biography
Next generation fullerenes - Carbyne composites
The availability of carbyne in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) induces intrinsic stiffening and strengthening of CNTs, which has been exploited for the very first time in this report for processing of epoxy nanocomposites with improved mechanical and electrical properties. Existence of carbyne encapsulated in double wall CNTs (DWNTs) was confirmed using near field Raman spectroscopy. The intrinsic stiffening of carbyne reinforced DWNTs (c-DWNTs) in epoxy matrix was visually confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy as well. In comparison to raw DWNTs reinforced epoxy nanocomposites, c-DWNTS imparted modest but improved tensile strength (5.6%), elastic modulus (9.7%), failure strain (9.9%) and fracture toughness (13%) to their respective epoxy nanocomposites. This inaugural study on carbyne-filled polymer composites also reports a minor but distinct increase (an order of magnitude) in the electrical conductivity for c-DWNTs filled epoxy nanocomposites as compared to DWNT filled epoxy nanocomposites. In this premier work, we are reporting a new generation of fullerene based nanocomposites, i.e. carbyne reinforced double walled carbon nanotubes (c-DWNTS) filled epoxy nanocomposites and compared its fundamental mechanical (strength, modulus, failure strain and toughness) and electrical (conductivity) properties with raw/ purified DWNT filled epoxy nanocomposites.
