The use of fluorinated CNTs as epoxy resin modifiers

Abstract

The effect of fluorination conditions for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on their chemical composition and structure was studied by IR-Fourier, X-ray photoelectron and Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, thermogravimetry and electron microscopy. The CNT treatment using fluorine does not cause noticeable damages to side walls and a pronounced increase in the degree of defectiveness, but contributes to an increase of up to 2.26 times in the specific surface area. From the viewpoint of a reinforcing effect, when introduced into a polymer matrix based on a Bisphenol-F-type epoxy resin, the fluorinated CNTs are noticeably more effective than the initial ones. At the fluorinated CNT concentration of 0.1 wt.% in the composite, the tensile strength, Young's modulus at stretching, flexural strength and Young's modulus at bending increase by 50, 74, 60 and 66 %, respectively, whereas the thermal stability and electrical conductivity of the composite practically do not change.