Carbon Nanotube and Nanofibre Reinforced Polyamide-12 Fibres

摘要

A range of multi-wall carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibres were mixed with a polyamide-12 matrix using a twin-screw microextruder, and the resulting blends used to produce a series of reinforced polymer fibres. The aim was to compare the dispersion and mechanical properties achieved for nanofillers produced by different techniques. A high quality of dispersion was achieved for all the catalytically-grown materials and the greatest improvements in stiffness were observed using aligned, substrate-grown, carbon nanotubes. The use of entangled multi-wall carbon nanotubes led to the most pronounced increase in yield stress. The degrees of polymer and nanofiller alignment and the morphology of the polymer matrix were assessed using X-ray diffraction and calorimetry.