Growth of carbon nanotubes on carbon fibre substrates to produce hybrid/phenolic composites with improved mechanical properties

Carbon nanotubes were grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on different carbon fibre substrates namely, unidirectional (UD) carbon fibre tows, bi-directional (2D) carbon fibre cloth and three dimensional (3D) carbon fibre felt. These substrates were used as the reinforcement in phenolic resin matrix to develop hybrid CF–CNT composites. The growth morphology and other characteristics of the as grown tubes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and thermal gravimetry (TGA) which confirmed a copious growth of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on these substrates. The mechanical properties of the hybrid composites was found to increase with the increasing amount of deposited carbon nanotubes. The flexural strength (FS) improved by 20% for UD, 75% for 2D and 66% for 3D hybrid composites as compared to that prepared by neat reinforcements (without CNT growth) under identical conditions. Flexural modulus (FM) of these composites also improved by 28%, 54% and 46%, respectively.     

Carbon and glass hierarchical fibers: Influence of carbon nanotubes on tensile,flexural and impact properties of short fiber reinforced composites

Dense carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown uniformly on the surface of carbon fibers and glass fibers to create hierarchical fibers by use of floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition. Morphologies of the CNTs were investigated using scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Larger diameter dimension and distinct growing mechanism of nanotubes on glass fiber were revealed. Short carbon and glass fiber reinforced polypropylene composites were fabricated using the hierarchical fibers and compared with composites made using neat fibers. Tensile, flexural and impact properties of the composites were measured, which showed evident enhancement in all mechanical properties compared to neat short fiber composites. SEM micrographs of composite fracture surface demonstrated improved adhesion between CNT-coated fiber and the matrix. The enhanced mechanical properties of short fiber composites was attributed to the synergistic effects of CNTs in improving fiber–matrix interfacial properties as well as the CNTs acting as supplemental reinforcement in short fiber-composites.     

Fabrication and characterization of three dimensional woven carbon fiber/silica ceramic matrix composites

Carbon fiber reinforced fused silica composites exhibit the advantages of excellent mechanical properties, high heat resistance, low thermal expansion and low density, but low impact resistance or toughness. A novel modified slurry impregnation and hot pressing (SIHP) method was adopted to fabricate a new type of three dimensional orthogonal woven structure carbon fiber reinforced silica ceramic matrix composites (3D Cf/SiO₂ CMCs) with higher density and lower porosity. Physical characterization, flexural behavior, impact performance and toughening mechanism of the composites were investigated by three-point bending tests, impact tests, and scanning electron microscopy analysis. The 3D Cf/SiO₂ CMC showed a higher flexural strength in both warp (201.6%) and weft (263.6%) directions than those of pure SiO₂ and failed at a non-brittle mode due to the fiber debonding and pullout, and a delaminated failure of the 3D preform. The maximum impact energy absorption of the 3D Cf/SiO₂ CMC was 96.9 kJ/m², almost 4 times as much as those for typical other carbon fiber reinforced CMCs.     

Hybrid carbon nanotube–carbon fiber composites with improved in-plane mechanical properties

In this study carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown on carbon fibers to enhance the in-plane and out-of-plane properties of fiber reinforced polymer composites (FRPs). A relatively low temperature synthesis technique was utilized to directly grow CNTs over the carbon fibers. Several composites based on carbon fibers with different surface treatments (e.g. growing CNTs with different lengths and distribution patterns and coating the fibers with a thermal barrier coating (TBC) layer) were fabricated and characterized via on- and off-axis tensile tests. The on-axis tensile strength and ductility of the hybrid FRPs were improved by 11% and 35%, respectively, due to the presence of the TBC and the surface grown CNTs. This configuration also exhibited 16% improvement on the off-axis stiffness. Results suggest that certain CNT growth patterns and lengths are more pertinent than the other surface treatments to achieve superior mechanical properties.     

Fabrication and characterization of Al-matrix composites reinforced with amino-functionalized carbon nanotubes

We report the fabrication of Al-matrix composites reinforced with amino-functionalized carbon nanotubes (fCNTs) using powder metallurgy process. Functionalization of the nanotubes was carried out by ball milling multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in the presence of ammonium bicarbonate. It has been found that the mechanical properties of Al-fCNT composites were much superior to the composites fabricated using non-functionalized or acid functionalized carbon nanotubes. The enhancement in mechanical properties in these composites are attributed mainly to the better and homogeneous dispersion of fCNT in Al matrix as compared to non-functionalized or acid functionalized carbon nanotubes and the formation of a strong interfacial bonding between fCNT and Al matrix leading to an efficient load transfer from Al matrix to fCNT following high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.     

Effect of electrophoretically deposited carbon nanotubes on the interface of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite

The interface between reinforcing fiber and matrix is a crucial element in composite performance. Homogeneous and interconnected carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were deposited onto the surface of carbon fibers to produce multiscale reinforcement by electrophoretic deposition (EPD). Single fiber tensile tests showed that the tensile strength and Weibull modulus of the resulting multiscale materials were increased by 16 and 41%, respectively. Compared with as-received carbon fibers, CNTs-deposited carbon fibers provided the decreased surface energy by 20% and the increased adhesion work by 22% using modified Wilhelmy method. Results from single fiber pull-out testing showed that a significant improvement (up to 68.8%) of interfacial shear strength was obtained for the composites containing by CNTs/Carbon fiber multiscale reinforcement. All results strongly suggest that EPD process can provide a feasible platform for improving interface properties of advanced composites.     

Mechanical characterization of epoxy composite with multiscale reinforcements: Carbon nanotubes and short carbon fibers

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) and short carbon fibers were incorporated into an epoxy matrix to fabricate a high performance multiscale composite. To improve the stress transfer between epoxy and carbon fibers, CNT were also grown on fibers through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method to produce CNT grown short carbon fibers (CSCF). Mechanical characterization of composites was performed to investigate the synergy effects of CNT and CSCF in the epoxy matrix. The multiscale composites revealed significant improvement in elastic and storage modulus, strength as well as impact resistance in comparison to CNT–epoxy or CSCF–epoxy composites. An optimum content of CNT was found which provided the maximum stiffness and strength. The synergic reinforcing effects of combined fillers were analyzed on the fracture surface of composites through optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).     

Mechanical properties improvement of carbon/carbon composites by two different matrixes

Carbon/carbon (C/C) composites with two different matrixes of pitch carbon and pyrolytic carbon were fabricated using 2-dimensional (2D) carbon felts preform. In order to study the effects of matrixes on mechanical properties, C/C composites with single matrix of pitch carbon were prepared. The mechanical properties were tested on CMT5304-30KN universal testing machine. Polarization microscope and scanning electron microscope were used to investigate the microstructures and fracture surface of C/C composites. It was resulted that the flexural strength of C/C composites with two matrixes was improved by 96% compared with that of C/C composites with single matrix. Meanwhile, better toughness was also obtained with two matrixes. For the composites, multilayer microstructures were generated after filling up of voids caused during carbonization of mesophase pitch by pyrolytic carbon. The multilayer microstructures were beneficial to the improvement of mechanical properties of C/C composites, especially the toughness. More energy could be dissipated during mechanical tests while cracks might extend along multiple paths, such as the interface between fiber and matrix or the interface between different matrixes.     

Enhanced mechanical properties of multiscale carbon fiber/epoxy composites by fiber surface treatment with graphene oxide/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane

Graphene oxide (GO) and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) grafted carbon fiber (CF) was demonstrated to reinforce the mechanical properties of fiber composites. Such a fiber composite was prepared by grafting POSS onto the CF surface using GO as the linkage. The presence of GO linkage and POSS could significantly enhance both the area and wettability of fiber surface, leading to an increase in the interfacial strength between fibers and resin. Compared with the desized CF composites, the grafted CF composites fabricated by compression molding method exhibited 53.05% enhancement in the interlaminar shear strength. The changed surface morphology, surface composition and surface energy were supposed to be related with the interfacial performance of unidirectional composites, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscope, dynamic contact angle test and X-ray photoelectron microscopy charaterizations.     

Effect of a multiscale reinforcement by carbon fiber surface treatment with graphene oxide/carbon nanotubes on the mechanical properties of reinforced carbon/carbon composites

An effective carbon fiber/graphene oxide/carbon nanotubes (CF-GO-CNTs) multiscale reinforcement was prepared by co-grafting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene oxide (GO) onto the carbon fiber surface. The effects of surface modification on the properties of carbon fiber (CF) and the resulting composites was investigated systematically. The GO and CNTs were chemically grafted on the carbon fiber surface as a uniform coating, which could significantly increase the polar functional groups and surface energy of carbon fiber. In addition, the GO and CNTs co-grafted on the carbon fiber surface could improve interlaminar shear strength of the resulting composites by 48.12% and the interfacial shear strength of the resulting composites by 83.39%. The presence of GO and CNTs could significantly enhance both the area and wettability of fiber surface, leading to great increase in the mechanical properties of GO/CNTs/carbon fiber reinforced composites.     

Comparison of chemical vapor deposition and chemical grafting for improving the mechanical properties of carbon fiber/epoxy composites with multi-wall carbon nanotubes

By engineering the fiber/matrix interface, the properties of the composite can be changed significantly. In this work, we increased the effective surface area of the fiber/matrix interface, to facilitate additional stress transfer between fibers and matrix, by grafting carbon nanotubes on to carbon fibers (in the form of carbon fabric) by two different methods: (1) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and (2) a purely chemical method. With the CVD process, carbon nanotubes (CNT) were directly grown on carbon fiber substrate using chemical vapors. For the chemical method, CNT with carboxyl groups were grafted on functionalized carbon fiber via a chemical reaction. The morphology of CNT/carbon fibers was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) which revealed uniform coverage of carbon fibers with CNT in both of CVD method and chemical grafting method. CNT-grafted woven carbon fibers were used to make carbon/epoxy composites, and their mechanical properties were measured using three-point bending and tension tests which showed that those with CNT-grafted carbon fiber reinforcements using the CVD process has 11 % higher tensile strength compared to those containing carbon fibers modified with the chemical method. Also, composites with CNT-grafted carbon fibers with chemical method showed 20 % higher tensile strength compared to composites with unmodified carbon fibers. The results of tensile test revealed that both CVD and chemical grafting could significantly improve the mechanical properties of the carbon fiber composites.     

Enhancement of mechanical performance of epoxy/carbon fiber laminate composites using single-walled carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) in their various forms have great potential for use in the development of multifunctional multiscale laminated composites due to their unique geometry and properties. Recent advancements in the development of CNT hierarchical composites have mostly focused on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). In this work, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) were used to develop nano-modified carbon fiber/epoxy laminates. A functionalization technique based on reduced SWCNT was employed to improve dispersion and epoxy resin-nanotube interaction. A commercial prepregging unit was then used to impregnate unidirectional carbon fiber tape with a modified epoxy system containing 0.1 wt% functionalized SWCNT. Impact and compression-after-impact (CAI) tests, Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness tests were performed on laminates with and without SWCNT. It was found that incorporation of 0.1 wt% of SWCNT resulted in a 5% reduction of the area of impact damage, a 3.5% increase in CAI strength, a 13% increase in Mode I fracture toughness, and 28% increase in Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness. A comparison between the results of this work and literature results on MWCNT-modified laminated composites suggests that SWCNT, at similar loadings, are more effective in enhancing the mechanical performance of traditional laminated composites.     

Interfacial analysis between Mg matrix and carbon nanotubes in Mg-6 wt.% Al alloy matrix composites reinforced with carbon nanotubes

Magnesium containing 6 wt.% aluminum alloy composites reinforced with carbon nanotubes were fabricated with powder metallurgy based wet-processing. Yield stress and tensile strength were successfully improved by the addition of carbon nanotubes. Field emission-transmission electron microscopy microstructural analysis clarified that needle-like ternary carbides of Al₂MgC₂ were synthesized at some interfaces between magnesium matrix and carbon nanotubes, and the other interfaces were clean without any other materials or defects. Tensile loading transfer from magnesium matrix to carbon nanotubes was effectively strengthened by both the production of Al₂MgC₂ compounds and the clean interface between magnesium matrix and carbon nanotubes.     

Tensile properties of VGCF reinforced carbon composites

Carbon composites based on vapor grown carbon fibers prepared by a fixed catalyst method were fabricated using a pitch infiltration technique. The composites have both unidirectional and bi-directional fiber reinforcement, and different fiber volume fractions ranging from 25% to 56%. Specimens were prepared from these composites for tensile testing at room temperature, and tensile modulus and strength were determined. The composite modulus was then used to estimate the fiber modulus.     

Fabrication of low specific resistance ceramic carbon composites by colloidal processing using glucose as soluble carbon source

Ceramic carbon composites were fabricated by colloidal processing using glucose as soluble carbon source. Glucose is converted into conducting carbon at high temperature treatment. Ceramic carbon composites were sintered in flowing argon at \(1400{^{\circ }}\hbox {C}\) showing resistor behaviour even at low carbon content (1 wt%). In this work, ceramic carbon composites were fabricated using alumina–clay slurries with addition of glucose as a soluble carbon source. Morphology of the sintered samples was characterized by field emission gun (FEG) electron microscopy. Phase analysis was done by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Electrical properties of ceramic carbon composites were measured by broad band dielectric spectrometer. Carbon produced from glucose at high temperature was characterized independently by BET surface area, dynamic light scattering, field emission gun scanning electron microscopy, field emission gun transmission electron microscopy, XRD and Raman spectroscopy.     

Thermal and mechanical properties of phenolic-based composites reinforced by carbon fibres and multiwall carbon nanotubes

The thermal, mechanical and ablation properties of carbon fibre/phenolic composites filled with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were investigated. Carbon fibre/phenolic/MWCNTs were prepared using different weight percentage of MWCNTs by compression moulding. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), flexural tests, thermal gravimetric analysis and oxyacetylene torch tests. The thermal stability and flexural properties of the nanocomposites increased by increasing MWCNTs content (wt% ⩽1), but they decreased when the content of MWCNTs was 2 wt%. The linear and mass ablation rates of the nanocomposites after modified with 1 wt% MWCNTs decreased by about 80% and 52%, respectively. To investigate the material post-test microstructure, a morphological characterization was carried out using SEM. It was shown that the presence of MWCNTs in the composite led to the formation of a strong network char layer without any cracks or opening.     

Measurement and analytical validation of interfacial bond strength of PAN-fiber-reinforced carbon matrix composites

Carbon/carbon composites are well suited to high-friction applications due to their excellent mechanical and thermal properties. Since interfacial shear strength is critical to composite performance, characterization of fiber/matrix interface is a crucial step in tailored design of composites. This article presents a hybrid experimental/analytical study to evaluate the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of PAN-fiber-reinforced carbon matrix composites. Microstructure was studied by light and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). A series of push-out tests were conducted to examine the fiber/matrix debonding process. The residual fiber displacement was confirmed by scanning electron microcopy (SEM). The validity of the calculated IFSS value was demonstrated by a simplified analytical approach, where the components contributing to the measured displacement were analyzed considering the mechanics of the indentation. The method described in this article has been successfully used for determining the IFSS of PAN-fiber-reinforced carbon matrix composites.     

Pristine and amino functionalized carbon nanotubes reinforced glass fiber epoxy composites

Multi-phase composites have been studied by incorporating carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a secondary reinforcement in an epoxy matrix which was then reinforced with glass fiber mat. Different types of CNTs e.g. amino functionalized carbon nanotubes (ACNT) and pristine carbon nanotubes (PCNT) were homogeneously dispersed in the epoxy matrix and two-ply laminates were fabricated using vacuum-assisted resin infusion molding technique. The issues related to CNT dispersion and interfacial bonding and its affect on the mechanical properties have been studied. An important finding of this study is that PCNT scores over ACNT in composites prepared under certain conditions. This is a very significant finding since PCNT is available at a much lower cost than ACNT.     

Enhanced crack detection sensitivity of carbon fiber composites by carbon nanotubes directly grown on carbon fibers

The ability of highly conductive hybrid carbon–fiber/carbon nanotube loaded epoxy composites to sense matrix cracking damage in situ is demonstrated. Multi-walled carbon-nanotubes (MWCNTs) are grown perpendicular to and on the surface of a woven carbon–fiber fabric using a chemical vapor deposition process. An increase in sensitivity of resistance change under interlaminar fracture is shown through a series of double cantilever beam (DCB) tests on samples prepared with MWCNTs grown on both sides of carbon–fiber fabric lamina placed at the top and bottom surfaces of an 8-layer test panel whereas samples with MWCNTs inside the samples did not show much increase in sensitivity of resistance change compared with the baseline samples without MWCNTs. The results suggest that the addition of surface positioned hierarchical carbon-nanotube lamina on composite structures has the potential for autonomic sensing of internal matrix damage.     

Growth of single-crystal α-MnO2 nanorods on multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Single-crystal α-MnO₂ nanorods were grown on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in H₂SO₄ aqueous solution. The morphology and microstructure of the composites were examined by transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffractometry and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results show that α-MnO₂ single-crystal nanorods with a mean diameter of 15 nm were densely grown on the surface of MWNTs. Those MWNTs/MnO₂ composites were used as an electrode material for supercapacitors, and it was found that the supercapacitor performance using MWNTs/MnO₂ composites was improved largely compared to that using pure MWNTs and α-MnO₂ nanorod mechanically mixed with MWNTs.