As the need for ultra-high strength, light weight composites has increased, carbon nanotube (CNT) composites have become more attractive due to their potential to exhibit far superior properties compared to traditional carbon fiber (CF) composites. To realize that potential, the interaction between a resin matrix and CNT surface needs to be optimized. Currently there is a lack in understanding of how polymers interact with CNTs on a molecular level. Nanocomp Technologies INC (NTI) manufactures a CNT hybrid material called Miralon® which is a non-woven, semi-isotropic mat comprised of long-range interconnections of branched CNT bundles surround by non-CNT carbon creating a unique macrostructure that can serve as scaffolding for an ultra-strong composite. NTI has conducted resin compatibility studies on Miralon® sheets to identify resin system that will be compatible and provide load transfer between the CNT bundles and polymer matrix. Resins were dissolved in solvent and spray coated onto the Miralon sheets for a 30 wt% target resin loading. Spray coating the polymers is necessary due to the small pore size of Miralon and previous attempts at resin film lamination proved ineffective at complete and uniform resin loading. The mechanical properties of resin loaded Miralon sheets were investigated, and the panels were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis in order to determine compatibility. The studies showed that resin compounds containing zwitterionic, specifically nitrogen and doubled bonded oxygen, and aromatic functional groups are the most compatible with Miralon®. Polyurea, a polymer which contains all of the above mentioned functional groups has found to be the most compatible resin to Miralon to date.

Understanding CNT-polymer composites on a molecular level

256th National Meeting (2018)

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