Detailed study of dynamic mechanical analysis for nanocomposites

Abstract

The present study focuses primarily on dynamic mechanical analysis of neat epoxy and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT)/epoxy composites. The results demonstrated a profound increment in storage modulus, loss modulus and tan δ in the case of nanocomposite samples compared to that of neat epoxy. Further, the coefficient of the ‘C’ factor, reinforcement efficiency factor, MWNT/epoxy interfacial adhesion factor and degree of entanglement density were evaluated for the MWNT/epoxy nanocomposites. Maximum reinforcement efficiency and the interfacial adhesion factor in nanocomposites with 0·75 wt.% MWNT loading (C0·75) indicated a strong interaction between MWNTs and epoxy. The degree of entanglement factor was found to increase with increasing MWNT contents, while the C factor declined with an increase in MWNT loading. The Cole–Cole plot of all the samples have been analysed, and it was found that the semicircular nature provided by the nanocomposite samples revealed the efficient adhesion between epoxy and MWNTs.