Preparation and Characterization of Treated MWCNT-Muscovite Filled Epoxy Nanocomposites

This paper presents the surface treatment of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/muscovite (MUS) hybrid nanomaterial. The hybrid compound was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using methane as the carbon precursor. Morphological characterization of treatment and pristine MWCNT-MUS hybrid was conducted using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) and X–ray diffraction (XRD). The surface treatment of MWCNT/MUS hybrid nanomaterial was successfully carried out which the basal spacing of (001) plane d(001) of MCNT/MUS was enlarged from 21.00 Å to 27.20 Å after first stage after first stage and was further enlarged to 29.28 Å after second stage of CTAB treatment. This MCNT-MUS hybrid filler was incorporated into epoxy resin at different filler loadings (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 wt %). Thermal properties of the treated Epoxy/MWCNT-MUS was determined to have lower properties compared to pristine Epoxy/MWCNT-MUS.