0000000000542282
AUTHOR
Samuel T. Buschhorn
Water transport in epoxy/MWCNT composites
Moisture and water uptake of epoxy/multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites was studied in a wide range of atmosphere relative humidity and temperatures. Addition of up to 1 wt.% of MWCNTs into the neat epoxy resulted to the twofold decrease of the diffusivity, while the levels of moisture/water uptake remained unchanged. The positive effect on the reduction of the diffusion coefficient diminishes with the increase of temperature. Differences in the water transport properties and plasticization ability of the neat polymer and its nanocomposites are explained by the free volume considerations and the polymer–water interactions, which are verified by the results of thermomechanical analy…
Ethylene-vinyl Acetate Thermoplastic Copolymers Filled with Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes: Effect of Hydrothermal Ageing on Mechanical, Thermal, and Electrical Properties
A range of properties of two commercial thermoplastic ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, Elvax 420 and Elvax 450, neat and as melt-mixed composite filled with 15 wt.-% of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), are studied in the “as produced” state and after hydrothermal ageing. Addition of MWCNTs into the neat copolymers introduces the functionality of electrical conductivity and significantly improves their mechanical properties, while thermal characteristics are slightly affected by the presence of carbon nanotubes. A remarkable increase of the elastic modulus (150%) and stress at failure (50%) in stress–strain experiments as well as creep resistance (40%) of the nanocomposites in c…
Creep and recovery of epoxy/MWCNT nanocomposites
Abstract Creep and creep–recovery of epoxy/multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites was studied in a wide range of applied loads in order to evaluate the contribution of nanotubes on the time-dependent behaviour of the epoxy matrix. Incorporation of up to 1 wt.% of C150P MWCNTs has negligible influence on the elastic, viscoelastic and viscoplastic response of the epoxy system. No systematic changes of the creep characteristics depending on the content of nanotubes are noticed in the range of stresses from 0.3 up to 0.75 from the ultimate strength. Creep resistance and recovery performance of the epoxy matrix is not negatively affected by the addition of MWCNTs and the same analytical m…