Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have excellent mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties making them outstanding reinforcements in polymer matrix composites. In this research, the effect of CNT-integration in polymer matrices (two-phase) and fiber-reinforced composites (three-phase) was studied theoretically and experimentally. This work sought to enhance the mechanical properties of composites by the improving dispersion of CNTs in polymers. This was achieved by optimizing the CNT/polymer composite manufacturing process. Generally, higher sonication intensity and longer sonication time improved the mechanical properties of CNT/polymer composites through improved CNT dispersion. Simulations for CNT/polymer composites (nanocomposites) and CNT/fiber/polymer composites (multiscale composites) were successfully carried out using a new method that combines nanocomposites micromechanics and woven fiber micromechanics. With this new method, the mechanical properties, including the Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and shear modulus, of nanocomposites and multiscale composites were predicted in terms of CNT loading in a polymer. The relationships between the mechanical properties of the composites and aspect ratios of the CNTs were studied and, as the third part of the simulation, the mechanical properties of multiscale composites that have no CNTs in the fiber strands were compared with those of multiscale composites that have CNTs in the fiber strands. In order to compare the predicted mechanical properties obtained by the simulations, nano and multiscale composites were manufactured and characterized. Good dispersion of the CNTs and strong bonding between the CNTs and polymer matrix and fibers and matrix are necessary to improve the mechanical properties of nanocomposites and multiscale composites. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2009. / April 3, 2009. / Carbon Nanotubes, Design of Experiments (DOE), Nanocomposites, Multiscale Composites, Mechanical Modeling / Includes bibliographical references. / Okenwa I. Okoli, Professor Directing Dissertation; Sachin Shanbhag, Outside Committee Member; Young-Bin Park, Committee Member; Zhiyong Liang, Committee Member; David Jack, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_181268 |
| Contributors | Kim, Myungsoo (authoraut), Okoli, Okenwa I. (professor directing dissertation), Shanbhag, Sachin (outside committee member), Park, Young-Bin (committee member), Liang, Zhiyong (committee member), Jack, David (committee member), Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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