Thermomechanical properties of PMMA and modified SWCNT composites

Abstract

P Kalakonda,1,2 S Banne3 1Department of Physics, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA; 2Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 3School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Innovative Drug Research Centre, Chongqing University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China Abstract: It is well known that the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can strongly affect the thermomechanical and electrical properties of the polymer into which they are dispersed. The common solvent mixing dispersion method of functionalized CNTs and polymer composites can improve thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. In this study, functionalized single-walled CNTs (COOH-SWCNTs) and poly(methyl methacrylate) were used to fabricate the polymer nanocomposites using a common solvent dispersion mixing method. The homogenous dispersion of COOH-SWCNTs in the composites resulted in improved thermomechanical properties of these composites; this was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. Keywords: polymer nanocomposites, thermal-mechanical properties, functionalization, ­common solvent mixing 

Keywords

• Particle-reinforcement
• polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
• mechanical testing