Stress relaxation in carbon nanotube-based fibers for load-bearing applications

Carbon nanotube (CNT) based continuous fiber, a CNT assembly that could retain the superb properties of individual CNTs on a macroscopic scale, has emerged as a promising candidate for reinforcement in multifunctional composites. While existing research has extensively examined their short-term mechanical properties based upon quasi-static measurements, the long-term durability of CNT fibers has been largely neglected. Here we report time-dependent behavior of CNT fibers, with a particular focus on tensile stress relaxation. Both the pure CNT fiber and the CNT/epoxy composite fiber exhibited significant stress decay during the relaxation process, and this time-dependent behavior became more significant at a higher initial strain level, a lower strain rate and a greater gauge length. The present approach signifies a fundamental difference in the load-bearing characteristics between CNT fibers and traditional advanced fibers, which has major implications for the long-term durability of CNT fibers in load-bearing multifunctional applications.