Statistical Analysis of Polymer Nanocomposites for Mechanical Properties

Shankar A Hallad; N R Banapurmath; T M Yunus Khan; M A Umarfarooq; Manzoore Elahi M Soudagar; Anand M Hunashyal; Sandeep V Gujjar; Jayachandra S Yaradoddi; Sharanabasava V Ganachari; Ashraf Elfasakhany; Md Irfanul Haque Siddiqui; Masood Ashraf Ali

doi:10.3390/molecules26144135

Statistical Analysis of Polymer Nanocomposites for Mechanical Properties

Molecules. 2021 Jul 7;26(14):4135. doi: 10.3390/molecules26144135.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Center for Material Science, KLE Technological University, Hubballi 580031, India.
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, KLE Technological University, Hubballi 580031, India.
³ Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 394, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Mechanical Engineering, SDM College of Engineering & Technology, Dharwad 580002, India.
⁵ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Glocal University, Delhi-Yamunotri Marg, SH-57, Mirzapur Pole, Saharanpur 247121, India.
⁶ Department of Civil Engineering, KLE Technological University, Hubballi 580031, India.
⁷ Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 16273, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Epoxy resins, due to their high stiffness, ease of processing, good heat, and chemical resistance obtained from cross-linked structures, have found applications in electronics, adhesives coatings, industrial tooling, and aeronautic and automotive industries. These resins are inherently brittle, which has limited their further application. The emphasis of this study is to improve the properties of the epoxy resin with a low-concentration (up to 0.4% by weight) addition of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs). Mechanical characterization of the modified composites was conducted to study the effect of MWCNTs infusion in the epoxy resin. Nanocomposites samples showed significantly higher tensile strength and fracture toughness compared to pure epoxy samples. The morphological studies of the modified composites were studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Keywords: energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy; epoxy nanocomposites; flexural test; multi-walled carbon nanotube; scanning electron microscopy.