Thermal, mechanical and acoustic damping properties of flexible open-cell polyurethane/multi-walled carbon nanotube foams: effect of surface functionality of nanotubes

This article demonstrates the properties of open‐cell flexible polyurethane foams incorporating multi‐walled carbon nanotubes. Three different types of highly functionalized nanotubes having carboxyl, hydroxyl and amide functional groups were synthesized. Neat polyurethane foam and three nanocomposite foams filled with 0.1 wt% of treated nanotubes were prepared. It was found that thermal stability, mechanical properties and acoustic damping were improved significantly by incorporation of small amounts of nanotubes. The nanotubes modified with carboxyl groups were found to have much more influence compared to the other two functional groups, possibly due to better interfacial interaction and improved dispersion. Scanning electron microscopy revealed micro‐cells with average diameters less than 5 µm in the skeleton of foams filled with nanotubes modified with hydroxyl and carboxyl, the formation of which was attributed to the generation of gaseous materials through the reaction with isocyanate. Such micro‐cells were found to be influential in improving mechanical and acoustic damping. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry A series of polyurethane foams filled with multi‐walled carbon nanotubes with various functionalities were prepared. Nanotubes functionalized with carboxyl groups imparted greatly improved properties to the polyurethane foams at very small concentrations (0.1 wt%).