| dc.description.abstract | Polymeric systems have been the subject of tremendous interest to the aerospace
industry due to their high strength per weight ratio but have not seen the use projected
due to their poor compression after impact strength, fracture toughness, and electrical
conductivity. This work has focused on the integration of single walled carbon
nanotubes (SWCNTs) into polymeric systems to serve as interleaves to improve the
mechanical properties of carbon fiber panels. Pristine, oxidized, and functionalized
carbon nanotubes were produced and cast into B-staged (50% cured) thin film epoxy
resin systems. Mechanical characterizations were carried out on bulk samples and
showed that the introduction of well dispersed SWCNTs functionalized with
sulfanilamide improved the Young’s modulus of the neat epoxy by 16%, the tensile
strength by 47%, the elongation at break by 157%, and the fracture toughness, as
determined by KIC, by 10%. Nylon was introduced into the system as a toughening
agent at 10 wt% and showed an 8% increase in the Young’s modulus, a 29% increase in
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tensile strength, a 183% increase in elongation at break, and a 44% increase in fracture
toughness. These composite films were successfully transferred into a carbon fiber
interleave using Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM). | en |
