Effect of filler on the creep characteristics of epoxy and epoxy-based CFRPs containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The aim of this work was to determine the effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the elastic and viscoelastic properties of an epoxy resin used in carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) in the matrix-dominated flexural testing mode. Neat and CNTs-containing (1 wt.%) epoxy resin and CFRP specimens were prepared and investigated. Three-point bending tests were carried out on nanocomposite (NC) and CFRP specimens at room temperature in quasi-static and cyclic creep regimes. The main effect of CNTs was observed in the reduction of creep compliance of epoxy (40%) and CFRP (30%), especially at higher stresses. The reduction of creep characteristics especially on viscoelastic and plastic strains both for epoxy and CFRP CNTs-containing specimens was attributed to the pulling out of CNTs from the agglomerates upon cyclic and gradually increasing stress in creep.