Modification of Physical, Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Reinforced Epoxy Phenol Novolac with Nano Cobalt Acrylate and Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

The research associated with optimal manufacturing procedure for composites strengthened with carbon nanotubes has became an important stage inside the early levels of discovery of fantastic physical properties of carbon nanotubes. The particular increasing interest has been brought by swift developments in nanotechnology and composites production techniques. This particular document brings together a study of two processes for production reinforced epoxy phenol novolak (EPN) with multi wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and nano cobalt acrylate and evaluation of their physical properties. Shear mixing method and solution process are techniques that were used to produce plates and thin films of composites containing different weight fractions of unpurified and purified multiwall nanotubes. The first method consist in processing the pure combination of (EPN) and nanotubes in a reactor and the subsequent technique utilizes ultrasound to improve dispersion of nanotubes in the matrix through solvent medium. In this case, solution process showed a better dispersion of the encouragement in the matrix, but physical qualities did not show significant improvements. Mechanical qualities, for instance tensile strength, Young's modulus, fracture toughness, and hardness do not show relevant improvements. The explanation for this behavior is the poor adhesion at the interface carbon nanotube-matrix, attributable to tendency of MWNTs to agglomerate into bundles, which generate discontinuities in the last composite. The electrical Conductivity measurements indicate a percolating network formed only by inner metallic tubes of the nano composite.