pps proceeding - Abstract Preview
pps proceeding
Symposium: S06 - Nanocomposites
Oral Presentation
 
 

Control of Liquid Crystal Epoxy Morphology Containing Well-Dispersed Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Hawkins Spencer Allistor (1)*, Yao Haiqing (1), Sue Dr. Hung-Jue (1)

(1) Texas A&M University - TX - USA

Morphologies of liquid crystalline epoxy (LCE) nanocomposite thin films containing well-dispersed multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were investigated. The LCE thin films with and without MWCNTs were prepared using B-staged LCE on a preheated film coater. A baseline was established by curing the LCE according to various curing cycles to ensure dominant formation of an isotropic, nematic, or smectic phase within the LCE thin film. Functionalized MWCNTs (F-MWCNTs) were then dispersed in the LCE at various loadings to determine their effect on the morphological evolution and property enhancement. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the morphology of the LCE/F-MWCNT nanocomposites. Structure-property-processing relationships of the LCE/F-MWCNT with respect to several key physical and mechanical properties are sought and will be presented.