Browsing by Author "Seyhan, A. Tugrul"

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Critical aspects related to processing of carbon nano tube/unsaturated thermoset polyester nanocomposites
(Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd, 2007) Seyhan, A. Tugrul; Gojny, Florian H.; Tanoglu, Metin; Schulte, Karl
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have outstanding mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. As a result, particular interest has been recently given in exploiting these properties by incorporating carbon nanotubes into some form of matrix. Although unsaturated polyesters with styrene have widespread use in the industrial applications, surprisingly there is no study in the literature about CNT/thermoset polyester nanocomposite systems. In the present paper, we underline some important issues and limitations during the processing of unsaturated polyester resins with different types of carbon nanotubes. In that manner, 3-roll mill and sonication techniques were comparatively evaluated to process nanocomposites made of CNTs with and without amine (NH2) functional groups and polyesters. It was found that styrene evaporation from the polyester resin system was a critical issue for nanocomposite processing. Rheological behaviour of the suspensions containing CNTs and tensile strengths of their resulting nanocomposites were characterized. CNT/polyester suspensions exhibited a shear thinning behaviour, while polyester resin blends act as a Newtonian fluid. It was also found that nanotubes with amine functional groups have better tensile strength, as compared to those with untreated CNTs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was also employed to reveal the degree of dispersion of CNTs in the matrix. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Electric field effects on CNTs/vinyl ester suspensions and the resulting electrical and thermal composite properties
(Elsevier Sci Ltd, 2010) Yurdakul, Hilmi; Seyhan, A. Tugrul; Turan, Servet; Tanoglu, Metin; Bauhofer, Wolfgang; Schulte, Karl
In this study, electrical conductivity of a vinyl ester based composite containing low content (0.05, 0.1 and 0.3 wt.%) of double and multi-walled carbon nanotubes with and without amine functional groups (DWCNTs, MWCNTs, DWCNT-NH2 and MWCNT-NH2) was investigated. The composite with pristine MWCNTs was found to exhibit the highest electrical conductivity. Experiments aimed to induce an aligned conductive network with application of an alternating current (AC) electric field during cure were carried out on the resin suspensions with MWCNTs. Formation of electric anisotropy within the composite was verified. Light microscopy (LM), scanning electron (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were conducted to visualize dispersion state and the extent of alignment of MWCNTs within the polymer cured with and without application of the electric field. To gain a better understanding of electric field induced effects, glass transition temperature (T-g) of the composites was measured via Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). It was determined that at 0.05 wt.% loading rate of MWCNTs, the composites, cured with application of the AC electric field, possessed a higher T-g than the composites cured without application of the AC electric field. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Mode I and mode II fracture toughness of E-glass non-crimp fabric/carbon nanotube (CNT) modified polymer based composites
(Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd, 2008) Seyhan, A. Tugrul; Tanoglu, Metin; Schulte, Karl
In this study, mode I and mode II interlaminar fracture toughness, and interlaminar shear strength of E-glass non-crimp fabric/carbon nanotube modified polymer matrix composites were investigated. The matrix resin containing 0.1 wt.% of amino functionalized multi walled carbon nanotubes were prepared, utilizing the 3-roll milling technique. Composite laminates were manufactured via vacuum assisted resin transfer molding process. Carbon nanotube modified laminates were found to exhibit 8% and 11% higher mode 11 interlaminar fracture toughness and interlaminar shear strength values, respectively, as compared to the base laminates. However, no significant improvement was observed for mode I interlaminar fracture toughness values. Furthermore, Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were utilized to monitor the distribution of carbon nanotubes within the composite microstructure and to examine the fracture surfaces of the failed specimens, respectively. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Temperature dependence of electrical conductivity in double-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotube/polyester nanocomposites
(Springer, 2007) Simsek, Yilmaz; Ozyuzer, Lutfi; Seyhan, A. Tugrul; Tanoglu, Metin; Schulte, Karl
The aim of this study is to investigate temperature dependence of electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube (CNT)/polyester nanocomposites from room temperature to 77 K using four-point probe test method. To produce nanocomposites, various types and amounts of CNTs (0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 wt.%) were dispersed via 3-roll mill technique within a specially formulized resin blend of thermoset polyesters. CNTs used in the study include multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) with and without amine functional groups (-NH2). It was observed that the incorporation of carbon nanotubes into resin blend yields electrically percolating networks and electrical conductivity of the resulting nanocomposites increases with increasing amount of nanotubes. However, nanocomposites containing amino functionalized carbon nanotubes exhibit relatively lower electrical conductivity compared to those with non-functionalized carbon nanotubes. To get better interpretation of the mechanism leading to conductive network via CNTs with and without amine functional groups, the experimental results were fitted to fluctuation-induced tunneling through the barriers between the metallic regions model. It was found that the results are in good agreement with prediction of proposed model.
Tensile mechanical behavior and fracture toughness of MWCNT and DWCNT modified vinyl-ester/polyester hybrid nanocomposites produced by 3-roll milling
(Elsevier Science Sa, 2009) Seyhan, A. Tugrul; Tanoglu, Metin; Schulte, Karl
This study aims to investigate the tensile mechanical behavior and fracture toughness of vinyl-ester/polyester hybrid nanocomposites containing various types of nanofillers, including multi- and double-walled carbon nanotubes with and without amine functional groups (MWCNTs, DWCNTs, MWCNT-NH2 and DWCNT-NH2). To prepare the resin suspensions, very low contents (0.05, 0.1 and 0.3 wt.%) of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were dispersed within a specially synthesized styrene-free polyester resin, conducting 3-roll milling technique. The collected resin stuff was subsequently blended with vinyl-ester via mechanical stirring to achieve final suspensions prior to polymerization. Nanocomposites containing MWCNTs and MWCNT-NH2 were found to exhibit higher tensile strength and modulus as well as larger fracture toughness and fracture energy compared to neat hybrid polymer. However, incorporation of similar contents of DWCNTs and DWCNT-NH2 into the hybrid resin did not reflect the same improvement in the corresponding mechanical properties. Furthermore, experimentally measured elastic moduli of the nanocomposites containing DWCNTs, DWCNT-NH2, MWCNTs and MWCNT-NH2 were fitted to Halphin-Tsai model. Regardless of amine functional groups or content of carbon nanotubes, MWCNT modified nanocomposites exhibited better agreement between the predicted and the measured elastic moduli values compared to nanocomposites with DWCNTs. Furthermore, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to reveal dispersion state of the carbon nanotubes within the hybrid polymer and to examine the CNT induced failure modes that occurred under mechanical loading, respectively. Based on the experimental findings obtained, it was emphasized that the types of CNTs and presence of amine functional groups on the surface of CNTs affects substantially the chemical interactions at the interface, thus tuning the ultimate mechanical performance of the resulting nanocomposites. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.