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Acid‐Based Surfactant‐Aided Dispersion of Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Epoxy‐Based Nanocomposites
Author(s) -
Sumdani Md Gulam,
Islam Muhammad Remanul,
Yahaya Ahmad Naim A.,
Isa Nadia
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.24966
Subject(s) - materials science , thermogravimetric analysis , epoxy , carbon nanotube , composite material , nanocomposite , dispersion (optics) , differential scanning calorimetry , scanning electron microscope , pulmonary surfactant , sulfonic acid , solvent , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , ultimate tensile strength , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , organic chemistry , chemistry , physics , optics , engineering , thermodynamics
In this study, the dispersion of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in epoxy was facilitated by an anionic surfactant, linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid. Different types of composites were prepared using a fixed amount of MWCNTs (0.5 wt%), in absence of solvent/surfactant, in presence of solvent and solvent/surfactant. The composites were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer, thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), universal testing machine, pendulum impact system, X‐ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope. The epoxy/MWCNTs nanocomposite exhibited significantly higher mechanical properties due to the better dispersion in the presence of the surfactant. The tensile strength and flexural strength were increased by 75% and 108%, respectively. The thermal, structural, and morphological analyses were also excellent as a result of the better dispersion. In addition, the solvent‐surfactant behavior was hypothesized for the epoxy/MWCNTs system. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:E80–E87, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers