Recent Advances in Carbon Nanotube-Polymer Composites

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes demonstrate remarkable mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, which allow a number of exciting potential applications. In this article, the most recent progress in research on the development of carbon nanotube-polymer composites is critically reviewed, with emphasis on recent advances in the principles and techniques for carbon nanotube functionalization. Various functionalization approaches and their role in the preparation of carbon nanotube-polymer composites with improved mechanical and electrical properties are discussed. The interaction between carbon nanotubes and polymers is also reviewed. Various techniques of carbon nanotube-polymer interaction measurements, including experimental and modelling studies, are described. Different methods of interaction improvement, mainly categorized under covalent and noncovalent interactions, are also described afterwards. An optimum carbon nanotube-polymer interaction is a crucial factor towards reaching the full potential of carbon nanotubes in nanocomposites. Potential topics of oncoming focus along with the potential applications of carbon nanotube-polymer composites are highlighted.

Carbon Nanotubes as Reinforcing Nanomaterials for Rubbers Used in Electronics

“…Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in 1991 by Iijima using an electric arc-discharge method and transmission electron microscope (TEM), their unique atomic structure and superior properties have attracted the researchers' attention both in academia and industry [1,22,24,37]. As can be seen in Figure 1, CNTs are typically one-dimensional quantum nanomaterials with carbon electrons in (ideally) sp 2 hybridized orbitals, and they can also be viewed as a graphene sheet that is rolled up into a nanoscale tubular form [1,3,28,38]. They are commonly synthesized using visible light vaporization, arc discharge or catalytic chemical vapor deposition method, and have been categorized as the fourth allotrope of carbon, following naturally occurring types such as diamond, graphite and fullerenes [16,24,37].…”

“…These include rubber sheets, grommets, tubes and seals, keypads, wire and cable rubber hoses and insulators, adhesive sealants, flat washers, boots and bellows, bumpers and tips covers, sleeves, and anti-vibration rubber mounts [2][3][4][5][6][7]. Their main function is to keep the machines and instruments Carbon Nanotubes as Reinforcing Nanomaterials for Rubbers Used in Electronics DOI: http://dx.doi.org /10.5772/intechopen.94061 definition, refers to multiphase materials that comprises of the individual or hybrid reinforcing filler and the rubber matrix or matrices [21,24,28,32].…”

“…Rubber-CNTs composites, with strengthened stress transfer from rubber to CNTs due to their uniform dispersion in the rubber matrix and the strong rubber-CNTs interactions, are relatively lighter and flexible for easy use in the electronic machines and instruments [3, 6-8, 13, 15]. Their excellent thermal and chemical stability makes them versatile materials for improving the flame retardancy of the electronic rubber materials and for the protection of the electronic components against damage [1,8,15,28,34]. The extraordinary durability and resilience of rubber-CNTs composites makes them suitable especially for resisting wear, high pressure and vibrations; and their outstanding mechanical properties allows them to exceptionally resist abrasion, tear, high compression set and flex fatigue life that are normally due to prolonged vibrations, high pressure and compressive loads [1,8,28].…”

“…Their excellent thermal and chemical stability makes them versatile materials for improving the flame retardancy of the electronic rubber materials and for the protection of the electronic components against damage [1,8,15,28,34]. The extraordinary durability and resilience of rubber-CNTs composites makes them suitable especially for resisting wear, high pressure and vibrations; and their outstanding mechanical properties allows them to exceptionally resist abrasion, tear, high compression set and flex fatigue life that are normally due to prolonged vibrations, high pressure and compressive loads [1,8,28]. These properties make them more suited and applicable for use in electronics, as well as the fact that rubber-CNTs compounds are potentially cost-effective than rubber-CB compounds because of the performance of CNTs that is dominant even at smaller loaded quantities [5,15,35,36].…”

Modulation of cell adhesion and migration by poly-dispersed-acid-functionalized-single-walled carbon nanotubes in lung epithelial cells

“…Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) first reported by lijima (1991) have exceptional mechanical, thermal and electrical properties, and have found multiple commercial usage in industry as well as in biomedical fields (Chen and Yan 2017, Rezaee et al 2018, Yudasaka et al 2018,Schroeder et al 2019. The growing demand has led to an exponential increase in the production of CNTs that is about 15000 metric tons now growing at an annual rate of about 30% (nanowerk.com).…”