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Surface morphology and photoluminescence (PL) properties of both microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), microcrystalline powders of the alkali metals nitrites MNO2 (M = Na. K, Cs) (MCN) and two-component composite materials based on the MCC and MCN have been studied and characterized by means of optical microscopy and luminescence spectroscopy.

The objective of this work is a dilatometric study of Al + 0.1% of multiwall carbon nanotubes nanocomposite material (NCM) in three directions: X - parallel to the rolling direction; Y - perpendicular to the rolling direction and (Z) perpendicular to the ribbon plane. NCM specimens were made in the form of a 0.1-mm-thick ribbon. The temperature range used for measurements was 20°C to 600°C. The obtained results show that presence of nanotubes affects the thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) measured in different directions. αx(T) and αy(T) - TEC plots as a function of temperature along X and Y directions, respectively - have substantially the same shape and overlap in the area of 400°C. The expansion along X-axis becomes greater than along Y-axis below this temperature value. It is clear that the coefficient αz(T) is lower than αx(T) and αy(T) over the entire temperature range. The expansion along Z-axis is smaller compared to that along X- and Y-axes. This behaviour suggests that there is a strong interatomic interaction along this direction (Z). αz(T) becomes monotonous and constant and is equal to 8 × 10−6°C−1 at temperatures above 300°C. Such order of magnitude had not been obtained in earlier studies of aluminium alloys. The obtained TEC shows high anisotropy, which grows with the increase of temperature. The heat flow (differential scanning calorimetry, (DSC)) of Al + 0.1% carbon nanotubes (CNT) NCM is more intense compared to that of pure aluminium produced in similar conditions. The two representative curves have similar shape and are almost entirely overlapped. The thermogravimetry results confirm those of DSC. The Raman spectrum of this nanomaterial shows that intensity of G and D bonds is significantly increased compared to that of the pure material. The infrared diagram also confirms that in this case the mentioned bonds are more intensive NCM. The tensile strength measurements (σB) of the studied NCM also demonstrate that its value increases from 140 ± 10 MPa for Al without nanotubes to 200 ± 10 MPa for NCM.

In this work, we studied a nanocomposite material made from fluoroplastic which contains 20 wt.% multi-walled nanotubes. In order to complete the present work, we have used different thermodynamic and mechanical techniques. The introduction of nanotubes in the F4 polymer matrix has completely changed the tribological and thermodynamic properties of the studied nanocomposite material. The compression strength becomes 20% higher than that of the F4 polymer matrix. Meanwhile the wear resistance achieves an order of magnitude 100 times greaterthan that of F4. Moreover, a friction coefficient is about 25% to 30% lower than that of a similar material and especially that of F4 material. Differential scanning calorimetric study showed that the glassy phase transition appears at about 330°C, which confirms that the degradation of the studied nanocomposite occurs at relatively higher temperature. This result confirms the one concerning the change in tribological properties. Dilatometric study revealed that the thermal expansion coefficient has been increased. The observed relative elongation measurement change depends on the direction along which the measurement has been done and confirms, in turn, the anisotropic character of the studied material. These results suggest that the metallic materials could be replaced by nanocomposite compounds which present good physical properties.

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