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Curing behavior and properties of epoxy nanocomposites with amine functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes
Author(s) -
Choi Woo Jin,
Powell Robert L.,
Kim Dae Su
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.20571
Subject(s) - materials science , nanocomposite , epoxy , curing (chemistry) , thermogravimetric analysis , carbon nanotube , surface modification , differential scanning calorimetry , composite material , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , scanning electron microscope , chemical engineering , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with reactive functional groups such as amines would affect not only properties but also curing behavior of an epoxy nanocomposite system comprising them. Therefore, in this study, an amine functionalization of multiwall CNTs (MWNTs) was carried out via treating pristine MWNTs (PMWNT) with 4‐aminobenzoic acid in polyphosphoric acid. The functionalization was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Epoxy nanocomposites comprising the PMWNT or functionalized MWNTs (FMWNT) were prepared and their curing behavior and properties were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to obtain experimental conversion data for curing kinetic analysis. The FMWNT accelerated the curing rate of the nanocomposite system. The functionalization induced strong interfacial bonding between the epoxy matrix and the MWNTs, and resulted in considerable improvements in the properties of the nanocomposites. The SEM image showed strong interfacial bonding between the epoxy matrix and the FMWNT. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers