Synergistic effects of halloysite and carbon nanotubes (HNTs + CNTs) on the mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites

Mohd Shahneel Saharudin; Rasheed Atif; Syafawati Hasbi; Muhammad Naguib Ahmad Nazri; Nur Ubaidah Saidin; Yusof Abdullah; Mohd Shahneel Saharudin; Rasheed Atif; Syafawati Hasbi; Muhammad Naguib Ahmad Nazri; Nur Ubaidah Saidin; Yusof Abdullah

doi:10.3934/matersci.2019.6.900

AIMS Materials Science

2019, Volume 6, Issue 6: 900-910. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2019.6.900

Previous Article Next Article

Research article

Synergistic effects of halloysite and carbon nanotubes (HNTs + CNTs) on the mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites

1.
Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Italy Design Institute (UniKL MIDI), 56100 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2.
Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Northumbria University, Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, United Kingdom
3.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Defense University of Malaysia, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4.
Malaysian Nuclear Agency Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

Received: 28 July 2019 Accepted: 24 September 2019 Published: 10 October 2019

The synergistic effects of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites were investigated. The addition of hybrid nanofillers (0.5 wt% HNTs–0.5 wt% CNTs) has significantly increased the storage modulus, flexural strength, tensile strength, fracture toughness (K_1C), critical strain energy release rate (G_1C), and microhardness of the nanocomposites. The tensile strength and Young’s modulus increased up to approximately 45% and 49%, respectively. The flexural strength and modulus increased up to approximately 46% and 17%, respectively. K_1C, G_1C, and microhardness recorded improvements of up to approximately 125%, 134%, and 11%, respectively. The formation of a large number of microcracks (emanated radially) and the increase in fracture surface area (due to crack deflection) were the major toughening mechanisms in the hybrid nanocomposites. SEM images revealed that the hybrid nanofillers were uniformly dispersed in the epoxy matrix and the fracture surface was coarser than that of neat epoxy, suggesting a semi-ductile fracture. This study has shown that the synergistic effects of HNTs–CNTs hybrid nanocomposites at low content (0.5 wt% HNTs–0.5 wt% CNTs) have significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites.
- halloysite nanotubes (HNTs),
- carbon nanotubes (CNTs),
- epoxy,
- hybrid nanofillers,
- nanocomposites,
- mechanical properties
Citation: Mohd Shahneel Saharudin, Rasheed Atif, Syafawati Hasbi, Muhammad Naguib Ahmad Nazri, Nur Ubaidah Saidin, Yusof Abdullah. Synergistic effects of halloysite and carbon nanotubes (HNTs + CNTs) on the mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites[J]. AIMS Materials Science, 2019, 6(6): 900-910. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2019.6.900

Related Papers:

Abstract

The synergistic effects of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites were investigated. The addition of hybrid nanofillers (0.5 wt% HNTs–0.5 wt% CNTs) has significantly increased the storage modulus, flexural strength, tensile strength, fracture toughness (K_1C), critical strain energy release rate (G_1C), and microhardness of the nanocomposites. The tensile strength and Young’s modulus increased up to approximately 45% and 49%, respectively. The flexural strength and modulus increased up to approximately 46% and 17%, respectively. K_1C, G_1C, and microhardness recorded improvements of up to approximately 125%, 134%, and 11%, respectively. The formation of a large number of microcracks (emanated radially) and the increase in fracture surface area (due to crack deflection) were the major toughening mechanisms in the hybrid nanocomposites. SEM images revealed that the hybrid nanofillers were uniformly dispersed in the epoxy matrix and the fracture surface was coarser than that of neat epoxy, suggesting a semi-ductile fracture. This study has shown that the synergistic effects of HNTs–CNTs hybrid nanocomposites at low content (0.5 wt% HNTs–0.5 wt% CNTs) have significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites.

References

[1]	Saharudin MS, Hasbi S, Rashidi NM, et al. (2018) Effect of short-term water exposure on mechanical properties of multi-layer graphene and multi-walled carbon nanotubes-reinforced epoxy nanocomposites. J Eng Sci Technol 13: 4226-4239.
[2]	Wei J, Saharudin MS, Vo T, et al. (2017) N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) usage in epoxy/graphene nanocomposites: problems associated with reaggregation. Polymers 9: 193. doi: 10.3390/polym9060193
[3]	Atif R, Wei J, Shyha I, et al. (2016) Use of morphological features of carbonaceous materials for improved mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites. RSC Adv 6: 1351-1359. doi: 10.1039/C5RA24039E
[4]	Saharudin MS, Wei J, Shyha I, et al. (2016) The degradation of mechanical properties in halloysite nanoclay-polyester nanocomposites exposed in seawater environment. J Nanomater 2016: 1-12.
[5]	Ye Y, Chen H, Wu J, et al. (2011) Interlaminar properties of carbon fiber composites with halloysite nanotube-toughened epoxy matrix. Compos Sci Technol 71: 717-723. doi: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2011.01.018
[6]	Peeterbroeck S, Alexandre M, Nagy JB, et al. (2004) Polymer-layered silicate-carbon nanotube nanocomposites: unique nanofiller synergistic effect. Compos Sci Technol 64: 2317-2323.
[7]	Luhyna N, Inam F (2012) Carbon nanotubes for epoxy nanocomposites: a review on recent developments.2nd International Conference on Advanced Composite Materials and Technologies for Aerospace Applications, 80-86.
[8]	Montazeri A, Montazeri N (2011) Viscoelastic and mechanical properties of multi walled carbon nanotube/epoxy composites with different nanotube content. Mater Des 32: 2301-2307. doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2010.11.003
[9]	Erpek CEY, Ozkoc G, Yilmazer U (2017) Comparison of natural halloysite with synthetic carbon nanotubes in poly(lactic acid) based composites. Polym Compos 38: 2337-2346. doi: 10.1002/pc.23816
[10]	Inam F, Wong DWY, Kuwata M, et al. (2010) Multiscale hybrid micro-nanocomposites based on carbon nanotubes and carbon fibers. J Nanomater 2010: 1-12.
[11]	Gissinger JR, Pramanik C, Newcomb B, et al. (2017) Nanoscale structure-property relationships of polyacrylonitrile/CNT composites as a function of polymer crystallinity and CNT diameter. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 10: 1017-1027.
[12]	Choi J, Shin H, Cho M (2016) A multiscale mechanical model for the effective interphase of SWNT/epoxy nanocomposite. Polymer 89: 159-171. doi: 10.1016/j.polymer.2016.02.041
[13]	Li T, Li M, Gu Y, et al. (2018) Mechanical enhancement effect of the interlayer hybrid CNT film/carbon fiber/epoxy composite. Compos Sci Technol 166: 176-182. doi: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2018.02.007
[14]	Saharudin MS, Atif R, Shyha I, et al. (2017) The degradation of mechanical properties in halloysite nanoclay-polyester nanocomposites exposed to diluted methanol. J Compos Mater 51: 1653-1664. doi: 10.1177/0021998316660178
[15]	Saharudin MS, Shyha I, Inam F (2016) The effect of methanol exposure on the flexural and tensile properties of halloysite nanoclay/polyester. Int J Adv Sci Eng Technol 4: 42-46.
[16]	Rull N, Ollier RP, Francucci G, et al. (2015) Effect of the addition of nanoclays on the water absorption and mechanical properties of glass fiber/up resin composites. J Compos Mater 49: 1629-1637. doi: 10.1177/0021998314538869
[17]	Ollier R, Rodriguez E, Alvarez V (2013) Unsaturated polyester/bentonite nanocomposites: Influence of clay modification on final performance. Compos Part A-Appl S 48: 137-143. doi: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2013.01.005
[18]	Liu M, Guo B, Du M, et al. (2008) Natural inorganic nanotubes reinforced epoxy resin nanocomposites. J Polym Res 15: 205-212. doi: 10.1007/s10965-007-9160-4
[19]	Alamri H, Low IM (2012) Effect of water absorption on the mechanical properties of nano-filler reinforced epoxy nanocomposites. Mater Des 42: 214-222. doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2012.05.060
[20]	Gorrasi G, Pantani R, Murariu M, et al. (2014) PLA/halloysite nanocomposite films: water vapor barrier properties and specific key characteristics. Macromol Mater Eng 299: 104-115. doi: 10.1002/mame.201200424
[21]	Saharudin MS, Atif R, Inam F (2017) Effect of short-term water exposure on the mechanical properties of halloysite nanotube-multi layer graphene reinforced polyester nanocomposites.Polymers 9: 27. doi: 10.3390/polym9010027
[22]	Chen X, Bao R, Yi J, et al. (2019) Enhancing interfacial bonding and tensile strength in CNT-Cu composites by a synergetic method of spraying pyrolysis and flake powder metallurgy. Materials 12: 670. doi: 10.3390/ma12040670
[23]	Yang SY, Lin WN, Huang YL, et al. (2011) Synergetic effects of graphene platelets and carbon nanotubes on the mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy composites. Carbon 49: 793-803. doi: 10.1016/j.carbon.2010.10.014

Reader Comments

Your name:*

Email:*
© 2019 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)