Carbon nanostructures for advanced composites

Abstract

Recent advances in the science and technology of composites utilizing carbon nanostructures are reviewed, including experimental results and modelling studies of composite properties and processing. Carbon nanotubes are emphasized, with other carbon nanostructures such as fullerenes, ultradispersed diamond clusters and diamond nanorods also being discussed.

Raman spectroscopic characterization of multiwall carbon nanotubes and of composites

“…The combination of superb mechanical, electrical and thermal properties makes CNTs ideal reinforcing fillers for advanced composite materials. But one of the major problem is the fact that nanotubes aggregate in bundles as a result of substantial van der Waals attractions and homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in the host matrix is probably the most fundamental issue for efficient load transfer and good reinforcement [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Raman spectroscopy has been shown to be a powerful and nondestructive technique for the characterization of carbon-based materials including carbon black (CB) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and it has become an invaluable tool for understanding many fundamental aspects of all sp 2 carbons [7,8].…”

“…Raman spectroscopy has been shown to be a powerful and nondestructive technique for the characterization of carbon-based materials including carbon black (CB) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and it has become an invaluable tool for understanding many fundamental aspects of all sp 2 carbons [7,8]. The diameter of nanotubes [9], the presence of disorder in sp 2 -hybridized carbon systems [10] as well as the effect of nanotube-nanotube interactions [11] on the vibrational modes have been assessed using Raman spectroscopy. Specific features such as the strong frequency dependence on the excitation laser energy of some Raman bands [12][13][14][15][16][17] or laser radiation-induced effects [18][19][20][21] have been the subject of extensive studies.…”

Multiwall carbon nanotube-filled natural rubber: Electrical and mechanical properties

“…The extent of improvement generally depends on several parameters including the size of the particles, their aspect ratio, their state of dispersion and their surface chemical characteristics that determine the interaction between the filler and the polymer chains and thus the interface of the polymer-filler system [1,2]. Polymer-carbon nanotube composites have attracted particular interest because the structural characteristics of carbon nanotubes such as their high aspect ratio, high surface area available for stress transfer as well as their exceptionally high Young's modulus and excellent electrical and thermal properties, are expected to allow the emergence of a new generation of ultra-lightweight and extremely strong composite materials [3][4][5]. In fact, one of the biggest challenges is to obtain a homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in a polymer matrix because van der Waals interactions between individual tubes lead to significant aggregation and agglomeration that reduce the expected property improvements.…”

Reinforcement of a PMMA resin for fixed interim prostheses with nanodiamonds

“…Nanodiamonds (ND), also known as ultrafinedispersed diamonds (UDDs) or detonation nanodiamonds, are becoming one of the most widely studied nanomaterials due to their unique properties such as hardness, thermal conductivity, dopability or optical transparency over a wide spectral range [12][13][14] . ND powder can be produced by a detonation synthesis in large volumes and is a carbon nanomaterial for a broad range of potential applications, including composites [13][14][15][16] . As produced powder consists of disordered graphite (67% wt) and diamond (33% wt) and presents a mean diameter of 1-5 nm, a specific surface of 300−590 m 2 /g and a specific gravity of 1.86 g/cm 3,[16][17][18] .…”