Elucidating Structure Property of Polyethylene/CNT Nanocomposite by in situ SFM Deformation Tests

Abstract

Deformation behavior of nanocomposites based on an ethylene/1-octene copolymer
and multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNT) was investigated by means of an atomic force
microscope (AFM). Via a special tensile module integrated to an optical microscope, it was
possible to record the stress-strain diagrams of the composites using miniaturized tensile
specimens. By analyzing strain induced structural changes occurring at different
successively applied loads, it was possible to correlate the deformation mechanisms
occurring on various length scales (i.e. at macroscopic, microscopic as well as nanoscopic
levels) to different degrees of deformation. It was noteworthy that, contrasting the
properties of other nanocomposites described so far in the literature, both the strength and
toughness of the composites were found to enhance. It was found that the deformation of the
composite on nanoscopic scale was inhomogeneous owing to anisotropic properties of the
CNTs and their alignments. After unloading the sample, the nanostructure of the original
material was fully regenerated explaining the macroscopically observed elastomeric
properties.

Keywords: Ethylene/1-octene copolymer; CNT; Deformation mechanism; AFM; In situ deformation tests

DOI: 10.3126/jncs.v26i0.3626

Journal of Nepal Chemical Society
Vol. 26, 2010
Page: 22-30