Periodical patterning of a fully tailored nanocarbon on CNT for fabrication of thermoplastic composites

To overcome the weak interfacial bonding between carbon nanotubes (CNT) and the polymer and to achieve an effective load transfer in composites, surface modification of the filler is an elegant approach. In this study, surface modification of CNT was performed through developing a new morphology containing carbon nano particles periodically patterned on CNT; entitled cheetah skin CNT. Compared to pristine CNT, the use of cheetah skin-CNT resulted in an enhanced interfacial bonding with PE. Addition of only 2% CNT into PE matrix led to 35% and 51% increase in elastic modulus of composite containing pristine and cheetah skin CNT, respectively.