Application of CNT Enhanced Carbon Fibers in Hybrid Composites with Improved Interfacial Properties

Abstract:

Growing carbon nanotubes (CNT) on the surface of high performance carbon fibers (CF) offers a means to tailor the mechanical properties of the fiber-matrix interface of a composite. In the context of this work, a floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (CVD) unit was utilized to grow CNT onto the surface of CF. The surface and mechanical properties of the resultant fibers, CNT density and alignment morphology were explained to depend on the CNT growth temperature, growth time, and atmospheric conditions within the CVD chamber. Single fiber/Epoxy composite coupons were fabricated by using both neat and CNT-coated CF to conduct single fiber fragmentation test (SFFT). It was observed that the coating of CNT onto CF surface improves the IFSS between CF and matrix when compared with neat-CF. Particularly, CF treatment condition for CNT-coating with 700 °C reaction temperature and 30 minutes reaction time has shown a considerable increase in IFSS approximately of 45% over that of the untreated fiber from which it was processed. The fiber-matrix adhesion was analyzed by using SEM on cryogenically fractured surface of both types of composites. The proper justification of fiber-matrix adhesion featured by composite interfacial properties was explained through IFSS.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 832)
• Pages: 237-242
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.832.237
• Online since: November 2013
• Authors: Shazed Md. Aziz, Suraya Abdul Rashid, Saeed Rahmanian, Mohamad Amran Mohd Salleh
• Keywords: Carbon Fiber (CF), CNT, CVD, Hybrid Composite, IFSS

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