Fabrication and mechanical properties of multiwalled carbon nanotube/nanonickel reinforced epoxy resin composites

Nanonickel is supported on the surface of the multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), forming the multiwalled carbon nanotubes/nanonickel composites (MWCNTs/Ni). By using the emulsifying machine dispersing MWCNTs/Ni evenly among epoxy resin, which is prepared into epoxy resin/multiwalled carbon nanotubes/nanonickel (EP/MWCNTs/Ni) composite materials. Additionally, the observed strong interfacial interaction between MWCNTs and the epoxy resin matrix is responsible for the enhanced mechanical properties based on the analysis from scanning electron microscope. Experimental results based on the analysis from dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) indicate a significant improvement in the glass transition temperature (Tg) by around 20 °C upon the addition of 1.5 wt% MWCNTs/Ni to the epoxy matrix. The tensile strength and the impact strength of the composites can improve around 64.8 and 176.7% compared with that of cured pure epoxy and improve with increasing MWCNTs/Ni content up to 1.3 wt%. Finally, the excellent mechanics capability of EP/MWCNTs/Ni nanocomposites will provide enormous opportunities for aerospace applications where conductive adhesive or high-performance polymer materials are necessary.