Robust, Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanolayered Composites with Enhanced Ductility and Strength

Iman Harsini¹, Faris Matalkah¹, Parviz Soroushian¹ and Anagi M Balachandra^2*

¹Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, 3546 Engineering Building, E. Lansing, MI, USA

²Metna Co., 1926 Turner St., Lansing, MI, USA

*Corresponding Author : Anagi M Balachandra
Senior Scientist, Metna Co., 1926 Turner St., Lansing, MI, USA
E-mail: abmetnaco@gmail.com

Received: April 17, 2017 Accepted: May 03, 2017 Published: May 09, 2017

Citation: Harsini I, Matalkah F, Soroushian P, Balachandra AM (2017) Robust, Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanolayered Composites with Enhanced Ductility and Strength. J Nanomater Mol Nanotechnol 6:3. doi: 10.4172/2324-8777.1000218

Robust, Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanolayered Composites with Enhanced Ductility and Strength

A new class of robust, nanolayered, self-assembled composite was developed by sequential deposition of electrostatically dispersed negatively charged carbon nanotubes (CNT) (charges were introduced via polymer wrapping) and oppositely charged polyelectrolytes on a polyurethane scaffold and subsequent heating. Heat treatment allowed for the formation of amide bonds between carboxylic acid functionalities on CNT walls and amine groups of the polyelectrolyte resulting strong covalent bonded network (crosslinked) of self-assembled, nanolayered composite. This robust nanolayered composite demonstrated high tensile strength and enhanced ductility compared to that of original polyurethane scaffold. The self-assembled nanolayered composites, after complementary cross-linking steps, were found to provide a unique balance of strength and ductility, which surpassed those of conventional (micro-scale) composites.