Polymeric systems have been the subject of tremendous interest to the aerospaceindustry due to their high strength per weight ratio but have not seen the use projecteddue to their poor compression after impact strength, fracture toughness, and electricalconductivity. This work has focused on the integration of single walled carbonnanotubes (SWCNTs) into polymeric systems to serve as interleaves to improve themechanical properties of carbon fiber panels. Pristine, oxidized, and functionalizedcarbon nanotubes were produced and cast into B-staged (50% cured) thin film epoxyresin systems. Mechanical characterizations were carried out on bulk samples andshowed that the introduction of well dispersed SWCNTs functionalized withsulfanilamide improved the Young?s modulus of the neat epoxy by 16%, the tensilestrength by 47%, the elongation at break by 157%, and the fracture toughness, asdetermined by KIC, by 10%. Nylon was introduced into the system as a tougheningagent at 10 wt% and showed an 8% increase in the Young?s modulus, a 29% increase inivtensile strength, a 183% increase in elongation at break, and a 44% increase in fracturetoughness. These composite films were successfully transferred into a carbon fiberinterleave using Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM).
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