Aligned CNT nanocomposites exhibit usefully anisotropic mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. We use energy-filtered TEM tomography to generate high-resolution, three-dimensional images suitable for quantitative analysis. We find that CNT morphology – network structure, bundling, alignment and waviness – varies non-linearly with volume fraction. The CNTs exhibit both increased bundling and a much higher degree of alignment uniformity as the volume fraction is increased. We use the data extracted via image analysis to understand the deviation between the observed property enhancements due to the addition of CNTs and those expected from a simple “aligned-fiber” model.

Aligned CNT composites: Quantitative analysis by TEM tomography

249th National Meeting (2015)

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