pps proceeding - Abstract Preview
pps proceeding
Symposium: S19 - Special Symposium: High performance polymers
Oral Presentation
 
 

Tailoring Interfacial Interactions in Fiber Reinforced Polymeric Composites by the Electrospray Deposition of Waterborne Carbon Nanotubes

Tansan Murat (1)*, Yıldız Mehmet (1), Unal Serkan (1)

(1) Sabanci University - Istanbul - Turkey

The utilization of fiber reinforced polymeric composites (FRPCs) have been significantly broadening in aerospace, automotive and marine industries, sporting goods and many other high-performance applications demanding enhanced thermal, mechanical, electrical properties. The ultimate performance of the FRPCs can be enhanced with improving fiber-matrix interface. Using nanoscale reinforcements; the tailoring fiber-matrix interface offers promising improvements in the mechanical properties of FRPCs. In this study, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were deposited onto carbon fabric (CF) surface via an in-house developed electrospray deposition or airbrush coating. Unlike other state-of-the-art fiber-matrix interface modification methods, SWCNTs were deposited from a waterborne suspension, eliminating any solvent use or other complex processes and enabling larger scale fabrications. The surface morphology of SWCNT coated CF structures was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to verify the homogeneous dispersion of CNTs on fiber surfaces. The hybrid CF-SWCNT structures were then used in a vacuum infusion process (VIP) to manufacture high-performance FRPCs to assess the influence of SWCNTs on the stress transfer between the fiber-matrix interface and to compare the two deposition methods. SWCNTs located at the fiber-matrix interface are presumed to serve as stress transfer bridges between the fiber and polymer matrix and contribute to the enhancement of interlaminar shear strength and flexural properties. As by measured Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture testing experiment, SWCNTs significantly strengthens the adhesion of the laminate plies. Keywords: Electrospray Deposition, waterborne CNT dispersion, interfacial properties, fiber reinforced polymeric composites (FRPCs), vacuum infusion process, airbrush coating