Carbon nanotubes have exceptional mechanical and functional properties and are considered by many as the most promising reinforcement for the next generation high performance nanostructured materials. Tubes dispersion and interfacial bonding are the most critical issues for developing carbon nanotube-reinforced composites. Considerable improvements in the dispersion and interfacial bonding of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)/ epoxy nanocomposites were obtained through developing new fabricating techniques and functionalized SWNTs in this thesis research. By systematically investigating dispersion formulations, processing parameters, mechanical property tests and SEM observations, better tubes dispersion were achieved while dispersing nanotubes in a special dispersion system to form a stable solution and then mixing it with epoxy resin. Further functionalized nanotubes also improve the dispersion. Functionalization methods such as chopping, chopping-oxidizing, molecular wraping and directly oxidizing were used to create more active sites in the nanotubes for enhancing tube-resin interaction during processing and composite interface. Interfacial bonding improvement was studied through mechanical tests and SEM observations. The results shows that the storage modulus of nanocomposites is improved over the neat epoxy resin through better tubes dispersion, functionalized nanotubes as well as higher tubes loading. However, the addition of nanotubes resulted in the glass transition degradation of the resulting nanocomposites. This thesis research developed new methods of dispersion and fabrication of nanotube composites, which considerably enhances tube dispersion and mechanical properties of the resultant nanocomposites. The results also reveal that modified tubes using the selected functionalization methods can be used to improve both tube dispersion and interface bonding in the nanocomposites. / A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Industrial Engineering in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester, 2003. / November 10, 2003. / Composites, Functionalization, Carbon Nanotube / Includes bibliographical references. / Zhiyong Liang, Professor Directing Thesis; Ben Wang, Committee Member; Chuck Zhang, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_175912 |
| Contributors | Liao, Yu-Hsuan (authoraut), Liang, Zhiyong (professor directing thesis), Wang, Ben (committee member), Zhang, Chuck (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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