A parametric prediction of the Young’s modulus of polymers enhanced with ΜWCNTs

Laboratory of Technology & Strength of Materials, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics, University of Patras, Panepistimioupolis Rion, 26500 Patras, Greece

^* e-mail: kitserpes@upatras.gr

Abstract

In this work a multi-scale model simulating the effect of the dispersion, the waviness as well as the agglomerations of MWCNTs on the Young’s modulus of a polymer enhanced with 0.4% MWCNTs (v/v) has been developed. Representative Unit Cells (RUCs) have been employed for the determination of the homogenized elastic properties of the MWCNT/polymer. The elastic properties computed by the RUCs were assigned to the Finite Element (FE) model of a tension specimen which was used to predict the Young’s modulus of the enhanced material. Furthermore, a comparison with experimental results obtained by tensile testing according to ASTM 638 has been made. The results show a remarkable decrease of the Young’s modulus for the polymer enhanced with aligned MWCNTs due to the increase of the CNT agglomerations. On the other hand, slight differences on the Young’s modulus have been observed for the material enhanced with randomly-oriented MWCNTs by the increase of the MWCNTs agglomerations, which might be attributed to the low concentration of the MWCNTs into the polymer. Moreover, the increase of the MWCNTs waviness led to a significant decrease of the Young’s modulus of the polymer enhanced with aligned MWCNTs. The experimental results in terms of the Young’s modulus are predicted well by assuming a random dispersion of MWCNTs into the polymer.