Thermosetting hierarchical composites with high carbon nanotube loadings: en route to high performance
File(s)NCpaperCorrected Final with changes.pdf (986.83 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Herceg, TM
Abidin, MSZ
Greenhalgh, ES
Shaffer, MSP
Bismarck, A
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
A wet powder impregnation route to manufacture carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites was adapted to accommodate thermosetting matrices reinforced with high fractions (20 wt%/13.6 vol%) of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The produced carbon fibre prepregs were consolidated into laminates with fibre volume fractions of 50–58% and up to 6.1 vol% CNTs. Microscopic imaging confirmed successful consolidation at intermediate CNT loadings, but some voidage at the highest CNT loading due to the highly viscoelastic uncured matrix. Nonetheless, through-thickness electrical conductivity and Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness were enhanced by as much as 152% and 24% to unprecedented values of σ = 53 S m−1 and GIC = 840 J m−2, respectively. Fractographic characterisation indicated that crack deflection was the mechanism responsible for the improved fracture toughness. The material properties were shown to be strongly dependent on the microstructure of the matrix.
Date Issued
2016-04-28
Date Acceptance
2016-02-09
Citation
Composites Science and Technology, 2016, 127 (1), pp.134-141
ISSN
0266-3538
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
134
End Page
141
Journal / Book Title
Composites Science and Technology
Volume
127
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sponsor
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL)
QinetiQ Limited
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000374709700017&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
DSTLX-100006041
AT/FRN/12750/IMP/08
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Materials Science, Composites
Materials Science
Carbon nanotubes
Hybrid composites
Fracture toughness
Fractography
Powder processing
MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES
FRACTURE-TOUGHNESS
DAMAGE MECHANISMS
MODE-I
MATRIX
REINFORCEMENT
ENHANCEMENT
CONDUCTIVITY
IMPROVEMENT
DISPERSION
09 Engineering
Materials
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2016-02-12