Mechanical behavior of carbon nanotubes reinforced polymer

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have garnered significant attention due to their extraordinary mechanical and other physical characteristics. This study demonstrates that incorporating a small number of carbon nanotubes, ranging from 0.1 to 0.9 wt.%, into a polymer, can effectively enhance its mechanical properties. In comparison to the pure polymer, the addition of −0.3 % carbon nanotubes resulted in a notable 24.1 % increase in tensile strength, a 4.4 % increase in compressive strength, a significant 319.5 % increase in the fatigue life cycle at 0.1 % carbon nanotubes, and a remarkable 43.0 % increase in fracture toughness at 0.3 wt.% carbon nanotubes.