Preparation and properties of hybrid functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube/epoxy resin composites

The multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were modified by covalent, noncovalent, or hybrid functionalization respectively. By means of solution blending, three types of functionalized MWCNTs were incorporated into the epoxy resin (EP) with various mass fractions to prepare MWCNTs/EP composites. The effect of the content and functionalization method of MWCNTs on the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites was studied through tensile test and thermal gravimetric analysis. The fracture sections of the tensile specimen were examined by SEM. The results indicate that the hybrid functionalized composites (MWCNTs-Epon828-PPA/EP) exhibit the best mechanical and thermal properties comparing with covalent and noncovalent functionalized composites (MWCNTs-Epon828/EP, MWCNTs-PPA/EP). With 0.3% mass fraction of MWCNTs, the tensile strength, elastic modulus, and the elongation at break increase by 30%, 62%, and 26% compared with that of the pure EP, respectively.