Amorphous polymers under their glass transition temperature (Tg) exhibit large inelastic deformations. Their mechanical behavior is highly dependent upon temperature, strain rate, pressure and loading mode (tension, compression, shear). They also exhibit small strain isotropic hardening, softening and large strain anisotropic rehardening. In addition, while in their glassy state, polymers are far from thermodynamic equilibrium so that their properties may change over time (physical aging). This complex behavior is reflected in the response of composites and affects the onset and propagation of damage therein. Therefore, in order to design polymer composite structures, it is fundamental to develop relevant tools and methodologies which aim at understanding, capturing and predicting the full thermomechanical response of glassy polymers. In this study, the thermomechanical behavior of a thermosetting polymer epoxy is characterized experimentally for temperatures below Tg. The intrinsic behavior of the polymer is obtained using a new methodology based on digital image correlation (DIC) in combination with video-monitored extensometry. In particular, inelastic flow localization patterns are discussed based on the full-field strain measurements and their connection to the stress-strain curves are highlighted. The Boyce-Parks-Argon polymer constitutive model, hereafter called the macromolecular model, has been enhanced to describe the thermomechanical behavior of epoxies. The identification of the material parameters involved in the model is described in a detailed procedure that builds on a limited set of experiments. The model is shown to represent adequately the thermomechanical behavior of the studied epoxy over a wide range of temperatures and strain-rates. Using additional high strain-rate data obtained from collaborators on Kolsky bars, the model capabilities are further discussed. Using finite-element implementations of the constitutive model in both quasi-static and dynamic codes, the processes of plastic flow localization are analyzed in tensile and compression specimens. Such analysis can form the basis of an alternative method for identifying the model parameters through inverse identification. Finally, a preliminary set of experiments were also conducted to investigate the effect of physical aging on the yield behavior and enhance the macromolecular model with the capability of modeling aging effects. Our interpretation of the aging experiments suggests that they are not conclusive and do not permit full determination of model parameters. Specific recommendations are tentatively formulated for conducting aging experiments in the future.

La recherche scientifique concernant les polymères biosourcés augmente rapidement pendant les dernières années, poussée par des croissantes préoccupations écologiques et économiques, ainsi que par l'incertitude sur la disponibilité future de ressources pétrochimiques limitées. Durabilité est un mot-clé de ce processus. Dans ce cadre, des produits respectueux de l'environnement, y compris des molécules et des additifs eco-compatibles, sont maintenant recherchés pour remplacer les polymères à base de pétrole par ceux dérivés de matières premières naturelles.Les résines époxydes sont des polymères thermodurcissables très polyvalents, extrêmement résistants à la corrosion, à l'humidité et aux produits chimiques, avec une bonne force d'adhérence à la plupart des matériaux et un faible retrait lors du durcissement. En raison de leurs températures de transition vitreuse élevées et de leur excellente résistance mécanique, les résines époxydes sont largement utilisées dans une large gamme d'applications, telles que l'électronique, les adhésifs structuraux, les composites pour l'aérospatiale et les revêtements protecteurs.Actuellement, plus des deux tiers des résines époxydes sont à base de diglycidyl éther de Bisphénol A. Dans cette industrie, la tendance à remplacer les matériaux dérivés du pétrole par des matériaux biosourcés est également liée à la nécessité de remplacer le bisphénol A (BPA), une molécule controversée, reconnu comme un perturbateur endocrinien et une substance reprotoxique. En particulier en application comme revêtement, l'utilisation de BPA présente un risque pour les utilisateurs d'aliments et de boissons conditionnés dans des récipients traités avec des résines époxydes. Les effets de la contamination du corps humain causée par le BPA sont le diabète, maladies cardiovasculaires, modification des enzymes hépatiques et les lésions de l'appareil reproducteur. Pour ces raisons, cette molécule a été interdite dans de nombreux pays pour la fabrication de produits pour enfants, ainsi qu'en France et au Canada de tous les matériaux en contact direct avec les aliments. La nécessité de développer de nouvelles résines époxy est donc urgente.Les molécules bio-dérivées développées depuis maintenant présentent des structures chimiques les plus diverses, chacune d’elles produisant des propriétés différentes des polymères finaux. Les caractéristiques particulières des résines époxydes sont liées à la structure aromatique de ses composants. Les molécules aromatiques présentes dans les matières premières naturelles proviennent principalement de la lignine, un des principaux constituants des parois cellulaires naturelles. Cependant, pour extraire des fragments aromatiques de la lignine, des procédés difficiles et consommateurs d’énergie sont nécessaires. Un substitut précieux des molécules aromatiques, facilement récupérables du glucose, sont les molécules furaniques ; leur validité a été étayée par plusieurs études.À la lumière de ce qui précède, les travaux présentés ici sont focalisés sur la production de résines époxyde à base de furane comme substitut potentiel de DGEBA dans l’industrie du revêtement de boîtes de conserve. Le cycle complet du matériau a été étudié : des synthèses de monomères époxydes furaniques ont été proposées, puis des thermodurcis époxydes ont été obtenus et caractérisés à la fois dans leurs propriétés chimiques et physiques (étude de la cinétique de durcissement, des propriétés mécaniques et thermiques). En outre, l’application des matériaux thermodurcissables époxydes proposés comme revêtement interne des boîtes de conserve a été testée. / Research on bio-based polymers is rapidly increasing in last years, pushed by growing environmental and economic concerns, as well as by the uncertainty about future availability of finite petrochemical resources. Sustainability is a keyword in this process. In this frame, products that are respectful towards the environment, including eco-compatible building blocks and additives, are now researched to replace petroleum-based polymers with those derived from naturally occurring feedstocks. Epoxy resins are very versatile thermosetting polymers, extremely resistant to corrosion, moisture and chemicals, with good adhesive strength toward most materials (wettability) and low shrinkage upon curing. Due to their high glass transition temperatures and excellent mechanical strength, epoxy resins are widely employed in a broad range of applications, such as electronics, structural adhesives, aerospace composites and protective coatings. More than two-thirds of epoxy resins nowadays are based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A. In this industry the trend to replace petrol-derived materials with bio-based ones is related also to the necessity to substitute the Bisphenol A (BPA), a controversial building block recognized as an endocrine disrupter and reprotoxic substance. In particular in application as coating, the use of BPA results in hazard for customers of food and beverage products packed into containers treated with epoxy resins. The effects of human body contamination caused by BPA are diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, altered liver enzymes and reproductive apparatus damages. For these reasons, this molecule has been banned in many countries for the manufacturing of child products, and in France and Canada from all the materials in direct contact with food. The necessity to develop new epoxy resins results therefore urgent.Bio-derived molecules since now developed show the most various chemical structure, each of them producing different properties of final polymers. Peculiar characteristic shown by epoxy resins are related to the aromatic structure of its components. Aromatic molecules present in natural feedstock are mainly derived from lignin, one of the principal constituents of natural cell walls. However, to extract aromatic moieties from lignin, difficult and energy consuming processes are required. A valuable replacement of aromatic molecules, easily recoverable from glucose, are furanic molecules; their validity has been supported by several studies. In the light of the above, the work here presented is focused on production of furanic bio-based epoxy resins as potential substitute of DGEBA in can coating industry. The complete cycle of the material has been studied: the synthesis of furanic epoxy monomers and epoxy thermosets, the characterization of their chemical and physical properties (study of curing kinetics, mechanical and thermal properties). Furthermore, the application of bio-based epoxy thermosets as cans internal lining has been evaluated. Experimental results demonstrated that the obtained resins have good potential to be proposed as good alternatives to the traditional BPA-containing epoxy resins.

Le groupe Mäder s’est lancé depuis quelques années dans une nouvelle thématique, la polymérisation « dual-cure ». Il s’agit d’un processus photo-thermique couplant réactivité photochimique et thermique. Cette thématique vise des applications pour lesquelles le produit est épais et/ou fortement chargé. La photopolymérisation étant limitée en profondeur, le processus thermique permet de compléter la polymérisation au coeur de l’échantillon ou encore dans les zones non accessibles par la technologie UV/LED. Cette thématique a fait l’œuvre d’une première thèse (2007-2010) menée par le doctorant Adrien Criqui au sein du Département de Photochimie Général (DPG). Au cours de cette thèse, la polymérisation radicalaire photo-thermique à partir d’aldéhydes a été étudiée. Des résultats concluant ont été obtenus donnant naissance à une technologie innovante notamment avec des applications sous air. Dès lors, il s’est posé la question de savoir si les aldéhydes pouvaient être utilisés dans la polymérisation cationique photo-thermique. La première année de thèse a donc commencé par l’étude du potentiel des aldéhydes dans la polymérisation cationique photo-thermique de résine époxydes. Les aldéhydes ont montrés qu’ils sont de bons photosensibilisateurs de la photopolymérisation cationique amorcée par un sel d’iodonium. Certaines structures aldéhydes couplées à un sel d’iodonium ont conduit à une polymérisation thermique. Les vitesses de polymérisation sont néanmoins trop lentes pour pouvoir être exploitées. La voie des aldéhydes a donc été abandonnée suite à ces résultats. Malgré ceci, ce sujet a fait l’œuvre d’une étude mécanistique qui a permit de conclure que le couple sel d’iodonium/aldéhyde réagit selon un mécanisme redox au courant duquel l’auto-oxydation de l’aldéhyde est indispensable. La réduction du photoamorceur par le radical issu de l’auto-oxydation de l’aldéhyde permet d’amorcer la polymérisation cationique. Par la suite, une importante bibliographie sur la polymérisation cationique des époxydes a été réalisée, le but étant de rechercher de nouveaux systèmes amorceurs. Plusieurs systèmes ont alors été retenus à savoir, les acides de Lewis et de Brönsted ainsi que les espèces cationiques. Les acides de Lewis étudiés n’ont pas apportés de résultats satisfaisants et ont donc été abandonnés. Parmi les acides de Brönsted, les acides sulfoniques ont été sélectionné. Des résultats mitigés ont été obtenus. En effet, soit la polymérisation s’est montrée trop rapide et non contrôlable soit trop lente. Le mécanisme de polymérisation amorcé par ces espèces ne semble pas adapté aux résines époxydes. La synthèse d’une structure appropriée a été envisagée mais pour des raisons stratégiques a été par la suite abandonnée. Plusieurs structures d’espèces cationiques ont été étudiées, à la fois des espèces commerciales (ex : triphénylcarbénium, …) ainsi que des espèces synthétisées au laboratoire (ex : xanthénium, …). Les travaux effectués sur ces systèmes amorceurs ont montrés qu’un amorçage indirect avec formation de l’amorceur in situ était une voie à privilégier.A partir de ce constat, deux technologies ont été étudiées. La première, à caractère purement académique, concerne une voie redox. Un système déjà publié basé sur le système sel d’iodonium/sel de cuivre/acétoïne a été ré-évalué. Les résultats obtenus ne correspondant pas au mécanisme publié, une étude mécanistique a été réalisée afin de proposer un nouveau mécanisme réactionnel. Le mécanisme de réaction est basé sur une réaction de décomposition, probablement par complexation, du sel d’iodonium par un sel de cuivre. Le produit de décomposition formé étant sensible à l’hydrolyse, il est possible d’accélérer la vitesse de polymérisation par la présence d’un composé hydroxylé type acétoïne. [...] / In the past few years, The Mäder Group has launched a new theme, " dual- cure " polymerization and process. This process is a coupling between photochemical and thermal reactivity. This theme is designed for applications where the product is thick and/or loaded with fillers. The photopolymerization is limited in depth and then the thermal process is used to complete the polymerization of the sample or in the non-irradiated areas. This theme has been the work of a first PhD (2007-2010) conducted by the student Adrien Criqui in the “Département de Photochimie Générale (DPG)”. In this PhD, the photo- and thermal radical polymerization with aldehydes was studied. Results have given birth to an innovative technology, particularly with applications under air. Therefore, it wonder if aldehydes could be used in the photo- and thermal cationic polymerization.The first year of PhD has begun with the study of the potential of aldehydes in the photo- and thermal cationic polymerization of epoxy resin. Aldehydes have shown that they are good photosensitizers of the cationic photopolymerization initiated by an iodonium salt. Some aldehydes coupled with an iodonium salt led to thermal polymerization. However rates of polymerization are too slow to be exploited. The way of aldehydes has been aborted due to these results. Despite this, this topic has been the work of a mechanistic study that led to the conclusion that the iodonium/aldehyde salt couple reacts according to a redox mechanism in which the auto-oxidation of the aldehyde is essential. The reduction of the photoinitiator by the radical derived from the auto- oxidation of the aldehyde aollow to initiate cationic polymerization.Subsequently, an extensive bibliography on the cationic polymerization of epoxides was carried out with the aim to find new initiator systems. Therefore, several systems have been selected i.e., Lewis and Brösted acids, and cationic species. Lewis acids studied gave no satisfactory results and were therefore given up. Among the Bronsted acids, sulfonic acids were selected. Mixed results were obtained. Sometimes the polymerization has been too fast and sometimes too slow. The polymerization mechanism initiated by these species does not seem suitable for epoxy resins. The synthesis of a suitable sulfonic acid was considered but for strategic reasons was later dropped. Several structures of cationic species have been also studied, both commercial species (eg: triphenylcarbenium , ... ) as well as synthesized species (eg: xanthénium ...). Work on these initiator systems convinced to use an indirect method to initiate polymerization.From this, two technologies have been studied. The first, relates to a redox pathway. A published system based on iodonium salt/copper salt/acetoïne combination has been re-evaluated. Results do not match the published mechanism. A new mechanistic has been proposed. The reaction mechanism is based on a decomposition reaction, presumably by complexation, of the iodonium salt with a copper salt. The decomposition product formed is susceptible to hydrolysis. Rates of polymerization have been accelerated the by the presence of a hydroxy compound like acetoïne. From the knowledges, ways of controlling the rate of polymerization (eg: complexing metal salt) and a new initiator system have been proposed. The second technology relates to a bi-component consisting of a photoinitiator/thermal initiator and a co- initiator. The reaction between the initiator and co-initiator allows initiating the polymerization. The polymerization rate can be controlled from the structure of initiator and co-initiator. The initiator is also a photoinitiator, the photo- and thermal nature is ensured. Two classes of co-initiators have been studied from a fundamental point of view (hydroperoxides and vinyl ether). It has been shown that hydroperoxides reduce initiator by an electron transfer. [...]

Molecular reinforcement through in-situ polymerization of liquid crystalline epoxies (LCEs) and a non-liquid crystalline epoxy has been investigated. Three LCEs: diglycidyl ether of 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenol (DGE-DHBP) and digylcidyl ether of 4-hydroxyphenyl-4"-hydroxybiphenyl-4'-carboxylate (DGE-HHC), were synthesized and blended with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol F (DGEBP-F) and subsequently cured with anhydride and amine curing agents. Curing kinetics were determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Parameters for autocatalytic curing kinetics of both pure monomers and blended systems were determined. The extent of cure for both monomers was monitored by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The glass transitions were evaluated as a function of composition using DSC and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The results show that the LC constituent affects the curing kinetics of the epoxy resin and that the systems are highly miscible. The effects of molecular reinforcement of DGEBP-F by DGE-DHBP and DGE-HHC were investigated. The concentration of the liquid crystalline moiety affects mechanical properties. Tensile, impact and fracture toughness tests results are evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surfaces shows changes in failure mechanisms compared to the pure components. Results indicate that mechanical properties of the blended samples are improved already at low concentration by weight of the LCE added into epoxy resin. The improvement in mechanical properties was found to occur irrespective of the absence of liquid crystallinity in the blended networks. The mechanism of crack study indicates that crack deflection and crack bridging are the mechanisms in case of LC epoxy. In case of LC modified epoxy, the crack deflection is the main mechanism. Moreover, the effect of coreacting an epoxy with a reactive monomer liquid crystalline epoxy as a matrix for glass fiber composites was investigated. Mechanical properties of the modified matrix were determined by tensile, flexural and impact testing. The improvement in toughness of the bulk matrix by the addition of a LCEs is seen also in the composites. The improvement is related to the enhancement of adhesion between the glass fibers and the matrix.

Part I: This part of the dissertation describes a new approach to high molecular weight aromatic polyketones via soluble precursors derived from bis(a-aminonitrile)s. Bis(a-aminonitrile)s were easily synthesized from dialdehydes and secondary amines in very high yield by the Strecker reaction. Polymerization of bis(a-aminonitrile)s with activated dihalides using NaH as base in DMF yielded soluble, high molecular weight polyaminonitriles, which were hydrolyzed in acidic conditions to produce the corresponding polyketones. A novel approach to the synthesis of high molecular weight wholly aromatic polyketones without ether linkages or alkyl substituents in the polymeric backbones was demonstrated. These polyketones displayed excellent thermal properties and solvent resistance. A very efficient synthesis for diphenol and activated dihalide monomers containing keto groups was also developed based on a-aminonitrile chemistry. Novel activated dihalide monomers were obtained in quantitative yields. This method is suitable for any activated dihalide by reaction with 2 equivalents of 4-fluorobenzylaminonitrile and NaH, followed by hydrolysis to produce a new monomer with two more p-fluorobenzoyl units. For the synthesis of polyaminonitriles containing ether linkages in the polymeric backbone, only low to medium molecular weight polymers were obtained. The model studies proved that the carbanions of the aminonitriles can react with ether linkages to form more stable phenoxide anions and cause the termination of the polymerization. Part II: Functional hyperbranched poly(arylene ester)s were synthesized by thermal polymerization of 5-acetoxyisophthalic acid or 3,5-diacetoxybenzoic acid. Carboxylic terminated hyperbranched copolyesters were also synthesized by copolymerization of 5-acetoxyisophthalic acid and 3-hydroxybenzoic acid using different molar ratios of these two monomers. Both carboxylic acid and phenolic terminated hyperbranched polyesters were functionalized with different reactive groups. The carboxyl terminated hyperbranched poly(arylene ester)s were successfully used to modify inherently brittle epoxy resins. The hyperbranched polymers were chemically incorporated into the epoxy networks using triphenylphosphine (TPP) as a catalyst and 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) as a curing agent. The chemistry and the proper formation of crosslinked networks were confirmed by solution 1H NMR, solid state CPMAS 13C NMR, kinetic FTIR spectroscopes and gel fraction analysis. Fracture toughness was improved without sacrificing thermal properties. The fracture toughness K1C values of the modified epoxies were found to be a function of the percentage loading, the molecular weights and the proportion of linear units of hyperbranched polyesters. Because the carboxylic acid terminated hyperbranched poly(arylene ester)s were immiscible with the commercially available epoxy EPON 828, the percentage loadings of hyperbranched modifiers were limited and the processibility of epoxy resins was difficult, especially at high percentage loadings of hyperbranched modifiers. These problems could be solved using phenolic terminated hyperbranched poly(arylene ester)s, which are more soluble in epoxy resins. / Ph. D.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Joints represent a discontinuity in the homogeneity of the material that results in localized tensions which often starts failure becoming inevitable introduced in piping systems. The extensive use of composite materials in piping systems is still limited and this is due to the need to study new types of joints for composite pipes connections, and the study of fibers used and their arrangement, the resin to be used, and mechanical behavior of materials and joints to failure. The work aims to prepare, characterize and evaluate the performance of the hybrid composites based on epoxy resin / fiber using coir dust as filler for application in production of joints by filament winding. Specimens were produced from two polymer systems based on epoxy (DGEBA) with different cure cycles containing different percentages of filler. Then, unidirectional hybrid composites were produced: resin/filler/glass "E" fiber and resin/filler/carbon fiber. The characterization of materials and the effect of the addition of filler were carried out using tensile tests, thermal analysis (differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis), Fourier transform infrared, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, composite joints were produced using the technique of filament winding, and their performance in connection composite tubes tested under hydrostatic pressure. The presence of filler at epoxy resins modifies the viscoelastic and mechanical properties, and failure modes, but does not affect the degradation profile and the cycle of cure. The hybrid composite of carbon fiber and epoxy resin cured at room temperature showed improvement in tensile properties, about 37.5%, for the addition of 10% filler, which is not observed for the other composites. The joints produced with glass E fibers and epoxy resin had a performance 13% lower, on average, than the standard tube, and the typical failure mode was leakage varying the failure s location. / As junções representam uma descontinuidade na homogeneidade do material que resulta em tensões localizadas, onde frequentemente se inicia a falha, tornando-se inevitável sua introdução em sistemas de tubulação. O uso extensivo de materiais compósitos em sistemas de tubulação ainda é limitado. E isso se deve à necessidade do estudo de materiais considerando as fibras utilizadas e seus arranjos, da resina a ser empregada, do comportamento mecânico dos materiais empregados e das técnicas de processamento, além do desenvolvimento de juntas para conexões das tubulações de compósito e o comportamento da junção até a falha. Este trabalho visa preparar, caracterizar e avaliar o desempenho de compósitos híbridos à base de resina epóxi/fibra utilizando como carga pó de coco e avaliar a viabilidade de produção de juntas por enrolamento filamentar. Foram produzidos corpos de prova poliméricos a partir de dois sistemas à base de epóxi (DGEBA) com diferentes ciclos de cura contendo diferentes porcentagens de carga. Em seguida, foram produzidos compósitos híbridos unidirecionais resina/carga/fibra de vidro E e resina/carga/fibra de carbono. A caracterização dos materiais e o efeito da adição da carga foram realizados através de ensaios mecânicos de tração, análises térmicas (calorimetria diferencial de varredura, termogravimetria e análise dinâmico-mecânica), infravermelho com transformada de Fourrier, microscopia óptica e eletrônica de varredura. Por fim, foram realizados ensaios hidrostáticos de pressão interna das juntas em conexão de tubos compósitos. A presença da carga nos sistemas epóxi modifica as propriedades mecânicas e viscoelásticas e os modos de falha, porém não afeta o perfil de degradação nem o ciclo de cura das resinas. O compósito híbrido com fibra de carbono e resina de cura ambiente apresentou melhora nas propriedades de tração, em torno de 37,5%, devido à adição de 10% de carga, o que não foi verificado para os demais compósitos. As juntas produzidas com fibra de vidro do E e resina epóxi apresentaram desempenho 13% menor, em média, que o tubo padrão, e o modo de falha típico foi o vazamento, variando-se o local da falha.

No description available.

The search and research for high performance materials for aerospace applications is a continuous evolving process. Among several fibre reinforced polymers, carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) is well known for its high specific stiffness and strength. Though high modulus and high strength carbon fibre with structural resin systems have currently been established reasonably well and are catering to a wide variety of aerospace structural applications, these properties are generally directional with very high properties along the fibre direction dominated by fibres and low in other directions depending mainly on the resin properties. Thus, there is a need to enhance the mechanical properties of the resin systems for better load transfer and to improve the resin dominated properties like shear strength and properties in directions other than along the fibre. Use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with their extraordinary specific stiffness and strength apparently has great potential as an additional reinforcement in resin for development of CNT-CFRP nanocomposites. However, there are several issues that need to be addressed such as compatibility of a particular resin with CNTs, amount of CNTs that can be added, uniform dispersion of these nanotubes, surface treatment and curing process etc., for optimal enhancement of the required properties. Epoxy and cyanate ester resin systems are finding applications in aerospace structures owing to their desirable set of properties. Of these, bisphenol E cyanate ester (BECy) resin of low viscosity with its low moisture absorption, better dimensional stability, and superior mechanical properties can establish itself as potential structural resin system for these applications. BECy in particular has the advantage of being more suitable for out of autoclave manufacturing process such as Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM). Literature shows that, significant work has been carried out by various researchers reporting improvements using CNTs in epoxy resins along with various associated problems. However, studies on effects of addition of CNTs /fCNTs to BECy-CFRP composite system are not well reported. Thus, objective of this work is to study the effects of adding pristine and functionalized CNTs to low viscosity cyanate ester as well as epoxy resin systems. Further, to study the effects on mechanical properties of nanocomposites with carbon fibre reinforcement in these CNT dispersed resin system through a combination of experimental and computational approaches. Multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) without and with different chemical functionalization are chosen to be added to epoxy and BECy resins. The quantity of these CNTs /fCNTs is varied in steps up to 1% by weight. Different methods of mixing such as shear mixing, ultrasonication and combined mixing cycles are implemented to achieve uniform dispersion of these nanotubes in the resin system. Standard test samples are prepared from these mixtures of nanotubes in resin systems to study the variation in mechanical properties. Further, these nanotubes added resin systems are used in fabricating CFRP laminates by VARTM process. Both uni-directional and bi-directional laminates are made with the above modified resin systems with CNTs/fCNTs. Series of experimental investigations are carried out to study various aspects involved in making of nanocomposites and the effects of the same on different mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. Standard specimens are cut out from these laminates to evaluate them for tension, compression, flexure, shear and interlaminar shear strength. The main parameters investigated are the effects of varied quantity of CNTs and functionalized CNTs in the resin mix and in CFRP nanocomposites, effect of different mixing / curing cycles etc. on the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. The investigations have yielded very interesting and encouraging results to arrive at optimum quantity of CNTs to be added and also the effects of functionalization to achieve enhanced mechanical properties. In addition, correlation of mechanical property enhancements with failure mechanisms, dispersion behaviour and participation of CNTs / fCNTs in load transfer are explained with the aid of scanning electron microscope images. Computational studies are carried out through atomistic models using computational tools to estimate the mechanical properties, understand and validate the effects of various parameters studied through series of experimental investigations. An atomistic model is built taking into consideration the nanoscale effects of the single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and its reinforcement in the BECy resin. Using these atomistic models, mechanical properties of individual SWCNT, BECy polymer resin, polymer with different quantities of added SWCNT, and the CFRP laminates with improved resin are computed. As the interaction of CNT with the polymer is only at the outermost layer and the mechanical properties of either MWCNTs or SWCNTs are too high compared to resin systems, it is not expected to have any difference in the final outcome whether it is MWCNT or SWCNT. Hence, only SWCNTs are considered in computational studies as it helps in reducing the complexity of atomistic models and computational time when coupled with polymer resin. This is valid even for functionalized CNT as functionalization is also a surface phenomenon. To start with, the mechanical behaviour of SWCNT is studied using molecular mechanics approach. Molecular mechanics based finite element analysis is adopted to evaluate the mechanical properties of armchair, zigzag and chiral SWCNT of different diameters. Three different types of atomic bonds, i.e., carbon-carbon covalent bond and two types of carbon-carbon van der Waals bonds are considered in the carbon nanotube system. The stiffness values of these bonds are calculated using the molecular potentials, namely Morse potential function and Lennard-Jones interaction potential function respectively and these stiffness values are assigned to spring elements in the finite element model of the SWCNT. The importance of inclusion of Lennard-Jones interactions is highlighted in this study. Effect of these non-bonded interactions is studied by making the numerical stiffness of these bonds to negligible levels and found that they significantly reduce the mechanical properties. The effect of non-bonded Lennard-Jones atomic interactions (van der Waal interactions) considered here is a novelty in this work which has not been considered in previous research works. The finite element model of the SWCNT is constructed, appropriate boundary conditions are applied and the behaviour of mechanical properties of SWCNT is studied. It is found that the longitudinal tensile strength and maximum tensile strain of armchair SWCNTs is greater than that of zigzag and chiral SWCNTs and its value increases with increasing SWCNT diameter. The estimated values of the mechanical properties obtained agree well with the published literature data determined using other techniques. As the systems become more complicated with the inclusion of polymers, molecular dynamics (MD) method using well established codes is more adoptable to study the effect of SWCNTs on BECy. Hence, it is used to model and solve the nanosystems to generate their stress-strain behavior. Further, MD approach followed here can effectively include interfacial interaction between polymer and the CNTs as well. Mechanical properties of SWCNT functionalized SWCNT (fSWCNT), pure BECy resin and that of the CNT nanocomposite consisting of specific quantity of SWCNT / fSWCNT in BECy are estimated using MD method. Atomistic models of SWCNT, fSWCNT, BECy, BECy with specific quantities of CNT / fSWCNT are constructed. A monomer of BECy is modelled and stabilized before its usage as a building block for modelling of BECy resin and to compute its properties. A cell of specific size containing monomers of BECy and another cell of same size with SWCNT at centre surrounded by BECy monomer molecules are built. The appropriate quantity of SWCNT in resin is modelled. This model captures the required density of the composite resin. The models so constructed are subjected to geometric optimization satisfying the convergence criteria and equilibrated through molecular dynamics to obtain a stable structure. The minimized structure is subjected to small strain in different directions to calculate the Young’s modulus and other moduli of the CNT-BECy resin composite. The process is repeated for different quantities of SWCNT in BECy resin to obtain their moduli. Further, tensile and shear strengths of CNT-BECy are obtained by subjecting the equilibrated structure to a series of applied strains from 0 to 10% in steps of 1%. The stress values corresponding to each strain are obtained and a stress – strain curve is plotted. From the stress- strain curve, the strengths of the CNT -BECy which is the stress corresponding to the modulus after which the material starts to soften are determined. Effects of functionalization on mechanical properties of SWCNT are observed. Further, effects of functionalization of SWCNT are studied with a specific quantity of fSWCNT on different moduli and strengths of BECy are investigated. The properties of enhanced CNT–BECy nanocomposite resin with different quantities of added CNT obtained through MD are used to estimate the mechanical properties of the CNT-BECy-CFRP nanocomposite using micromechanics model. Further, validation with experimental results is attempted comparing the trends in enhancement of properties of the CNT-BECy resin and CNT-BECy-CFRP nanocomposite system. The outcome of this research work has been significantly positive in terms of i) Development of an appropriate process establishing different parameters for dispersing CNTs in the resin system, mixing, curing cycle for making of nanocomposites demonstrating significant and consistent enhancement of mechanical properties of BECy based resin system and CFRP nanocomposites using optimum quantity of CNTs /fCNTs through a series of well planned and executed experimental investigations. Evaluation of mechanical properties for each of the cases has been carried out experimentally. ii) Establishing a computational methodology involving intricate atomistic modelling and molecular dynamics of nanosystems for estimation of mechanical properties of BECy polymer resin and to study the effects by addition of SWCNT / functionalized SWCNT on the properties. Results obtained through series of experimental investigations have been validated through this computational study. This could be an important step towards realising the potential of this resin system for high performance aerospace applications. Thus, in brief, detailed experimental work combined with computational studies performed as presented in this thesis resulted in achieving structurally efficient cyanate ester based nanocomposites which is unique and not reported in open literature.