Advances in the interfacial bonding characteristics of carbon nanotube/polymer composites

The excellent mechanical properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) make it a preferred reinforcement for composites. The mechanical properties of CNT/polymer composites are greatly determined by the interfacial bonding characteristics. Both research methods and research progresses of the interfacial bonding characteristics of CNT/polymer composites were reviewed in this paper. Microscopic characterization techniques, raman spectroscopy analysis technology and nano-mechanical pull-out method were used in the experiment. Molecular simulation method simulated the pull-out process of CNT from the polymer matrix by applying displacement and force to CNT. The effects of polymer matrix (including type, crystal structure and density) and CNT (including chirality, diameter and functional processing) on the interfacial bonding characteristics of CNT/polymer composites were summarized and the signi-ficant future research directions of this field were prospected.