title: Manufacturing polymer/carbon nanotube composite using a novel direct process.
abstract: A direct process for manufacturing polymer carbon nanotube (CNT)-based composite yarns is reported. The new approach is based on a modified dry spinning method of CNT yarn and gives a high alignment of the CNT bundle structure in yarns. The aligned CNT structure was combined with a polymer resin and, after being stressed through the spinning process, the resin was cured and polymerized, with the CNT structure acting as reinforcement in the composite. Thus the present method obviates the need for special and complex treatments to align and disperse CNTs in a polymer matrix. The new process allows us to produce a polymer/CNT composite with properties that may satisfy various engineering specifications. The structure of the yarn was investigated using scanning electron microscopy coupled with a focused-ion-beam system. The tensile behavior was characterized using a dynamic mechanical analyzer. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry was also used to chemically analyze the presence of polymer on the composites. The process allows development of polymer/CNT-based composites with different mechanical properties suitable for a range of applications by using various resins.
authors.affiliation: Computational Engineering and Science Research Centre (CESRC), Faculty of Engineering and Surveying, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia. canh-dung.tran@usq.edu.au
authors.forename: C-D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Randeniya
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Baughman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tran-Cong
mesh_terms: D055119:Elastic Modulus; D020724:Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D020724:Elastomers; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011108:Polymers; D011140:Polyurethanes