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Crack Toughness Behaviour of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube (MWNT)/Polycarbonate Nanocomposites
Author(s) -
Satapathy Bhabani K.,
Weidisch Roland,
Pötschke Petra,
Janke Andreas
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.200500234
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , nanocomposite , polycarbonate , fracture toughness , fracture mechanics , brittleness , toughness , carbon nanotube , nanotube , fracture (geology)
Summary: The morphology and fracture behaviour of polycarbonate (PC)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composites have been studied by AFM and post‐yield fracture mechanics. The essential work of fracture (EWF) method has been used to distinguish between two terms representing the resistance to crack initiation and crack propagation. A maximum in the non‐essential work of fracture was observed at 2 wt.‐% MWNT, demonstrating enhanced resistance to crack propagation compared to pure PC. At 4 wt.‐% MWNT, a tough‐to‐brittle transition has been observed. The time‐resolved in‐situ strain field analysis revealed that the onset of crack initiation was shifted to a shorter time for nanocomposites with 4 wt.‐% MWNT compared to that with 2 wt.‐%, and thus explained the existence of a tough‐to‐brittle transition in these nanocomposites.