Preparation And Characterization Of Muscovite-Carbon Nanotubes Epoxy Layered Silicate Nanocomposites
The poor dispersion and low interfacial adhesion between carbon nanotubes (CNT) and polymer matrix are the crucial problem when incorporating of CNT in polymer nanocomposites. This work focuses on the effect of different fabrication techniques including physical mixing and chemical vapour deposit...
Saved in:
Main Author: | |
---|---|
Format: | Thesis |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2019
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://eprints.usm.my/47867/1/Preparation%20And%20Characterization%20Of%20Muscovite-Carbon%20Nanotubes%20Epoxy%20Layered%20Silicate%20Nanocomposites.pdf |
Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
Summary: | The poor dispersion and low interfacial adhesion between carbon nanotubes (CNT)
and polymer matrix are the crucial problem when incorporating of CNT in polymer
nanocomposites. This work focuses on the effect of different fabrication techniques
including physical mixing and chemical vapour deposition (CVD) on the mechanical
and thermal conductivity properties of epoxy nanocomposites. The physically mixed
muscovite MWCNT (Mus MWCNT PM) was prepared by employing the muscovite
with MWCNT using ball milling for 24h at 20 rpm to examine the effect of processing
on the mechanical properties of epoxy/muscovite-multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The
synthesis of Mus MWCNT hybrid (Mus MWCNT HYB) filler was prepared via
chemical vapour deposition (CVD) loaded nickel catalyst and muscovite as a substrate
under methane flow at 800 ºC. In order to improve the dispersion of the Mus MWCNT,
the muscovite clay particles were initially intercalated with lithium nitrate and
followed by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The modification of
muscovite resulted in increased basal spacing as well as better exfoliation of the
silicate layers. The organo muscovite (O-Mus) was then synthesized via CVD. The
successfully synthesized Mus MWCNT and O-Mus MWCNT as well as Mus
MWCNT PM were characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy
(FESEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy, X-Ray Diffraction
(XRD), Raman Spectrum, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) before incorporated
with epoxy resin. It was found that the fabrication of Mus MWCNT hybrid via CVD
produce better morphological and structure compared to Mus MWCNT PM. Mus
MWCNT PM, Mus MWCNT HYB and O-Mus MWCNT HYB filled epoxy were
prepared by in situ polymerization and the epoxy nanocomposites system and were
characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron
microscopy to evaluate the dispersibility of filler within the epoxy matrix. The Mus
MWCNT HYB filled epoxy showed higher tensile, hardness, and thermal properties
compared to Mus MWCNT PM filled epoxy. The high reinforcing efficiency of Mus
MWCNT HYB filled epoxy nanocomposites can be attributed to the good dispersion
and interfacial interaction within the epoxy matrix. The research explored the effect of
organo muscovite on the properties described above of epoxy incorporated organo
muscovite multiwalled carbon nanotubes (O-Mus MWCNT). The tensile and hardness
properties of the O-Mus MWCNT filled epoxy nanocomposites exhibited better
performance as compared to the untreated muscovite with the optimum filler loading
at 3 wt%. Further, the loosely entangled O-Mus MWCNT dispersed in epoxy matrix
indicated homogeneous dispersion and strong interfacial interaction between the
hybrid filler and matrix, which influenced the enhancement of the mechanical
properties of the epoxy nanocomposites. Therefore, it is concluded that the
incorporation of O-Mus MWCNT into the epoxy matrix exhibited enhanced properties
of mechanical, hardness, thermal conductivity compared to the neat epoxy, therefore
satisfactorily meeting the objectives of this study. |
---|