Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1582735 | Materials Science and Engineering: A | 2008 | 6 Pages |
Abstract
Due to their high stiffness and strength, as well as their electrical conductivity, carbon nanotubes are under intense investigation as fillers in polymer matrix composites. The nature of the carbon nanotube/polymer bonding and the curvature of the carbon nanotubes within the polymer have arisen as particular factors in the efficacy of the carbon nanotubes to actually provide any enhanced stiffness or strength to the composite. Here the effects of carbon nanotube curvature and interface interaction with the matrix on the composite stiffness are investigated using micromechanical analysis. In particular, the effects of poor bonding and thus poor shear lag load transfer to the carbon nanotubes are studied. In the case of poor bonding, carbon nanotubes waviness is shown to enhance the composite stiffness.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Materials Science
Materials Science (General)
Authors
A. Pantano, G. Modica, F. Cappello,