Mechanical and Electrical Characterestics of CARBON Nanotubes of Different Bases

ABSTRACT

In this report, different types of carbon nanotubes are prepared with different bases (Vegetable and animal) to create nanocomposites with CNTs. A total of eight types of CNTs are prepared out of which seven types are from vegetable base and one from animal base. These CNTs are multiwalled type. Each type of these MWCNT is used with glass fiber composites and is subjected to various mechanical and electrical tests. Data from the tests is used to determine properties such as ultimate tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, impact strength and electrical conductivity. The experimental values are then compared among different types of nanocomposites and then picked up the best base MWCNT. Using this particular MWCNT, a best carbon nanohybridcomposite will be prepared for further reseach. The MWCNT nanocomposite's properties are found to be the best one .After the test, the specimen were viewed under a scanning electron microscope to determine the nature of the bonding between the nanotubes and the resin. The nanotubes were found to cluster together and did not mix homogeneously with the resin.

Fibre reinforced carbon nanocomposites are composites with MWCNTs as the additional reinforcement phase and a polymer (resin) as the matrix phase. Carbon nanotubes are sheets of graphene that have been curled or coiled up. They exists as single sheets of graphene and are called single walled nanotubes (SWNT) or exist as multiple sheets of graphene and are called multiwalled nanotubes (MWNT). The nanocomposites fabricated in the lab contained MWNTs.

Data from the experiment led to a threshold values which are having upper and lower thresholds depend on the concentrations of the MWCNT. This paper introduces the fabrication methods and the testing methods employed on the MWCNT composites and presents results of their mechanical and electrical properties.