Modelling, processing and characterization of carbon nanotube polymer composites

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To achieve the next generation of aerospace structural materials, new advanced material forms must be investigated. At the time of their discovery in 1991, carbon nanotubes (CNT) were believed to be the ideal reinforcements for nanocomposites. Over the last decade, the research on carbon nanotubes synthesis, properties and applications have produced a massive amount of values for the properties of CNT polymer nanocomposites. Most of the earlier work focused on the direct incorporation of the nanotubes as reinforcements in the resin. The results show significant variability in properties obtained for thermoplastic and thermoset polymer nanocomposites processed by solution casting, melt mixing, melt fibres, in-situ polymerization and nanotube functionalization. This is mainly caused by the great difficulty of processing CNT with polymer matrices at CNT volume fraction greater than one percent. Issues with the poor control of the nanotube dispersion, alignment and interface with the polymer matrix are principally responsible for these disappointing results. In light of the above, the objective of the proposed research program is to develop and implement an integrated framework that includes modelling, processing and characterization in order to produce high performance CNT polymer nanocomposites for macro scale and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications. New models that predict the physical, mechanical and processing properties of CNT polymer nanocomposites as a function of nanotube dispersion, concentration, purification, functionalization and orientation will be developed. Innovative manufacturing techniques to produce CNT polymer nanocomposites, hybrid composite laminates and MEMS microactuators will be established. The integration approach is new as most efforts on CNT nanocomposite development focused on making and testing the nanocomposite without taking processing issues into account. The proposed work could help develop new nanocomposite manufacturing techniques that will use the full potential of CNT as reinforcements.