The use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a reinforcing material in a polymer matrix has increased in various industries. In this study, the flexural behavior of CNT-modified epoxy/basalt (CNT/epoxy/basalt) composites is investigated. The effects of CNT modification with silane on the flexural properties of CNT/epoxy/basalt composites were also examined. Flexural tests were performed using epoxy/basalt, oxidized CNT/epoxy/basalt, and silanized CNT/epoxy/basalt multi-scale composites. After the flexural tests, the fracture surfaces of the specimens were examined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to investigate the fracture mechanisms of the CNT/epoxy/basalt multi-scale composites with respect to the CNT modification process. The flexural properties of the epoxy/basalt composites were improved by the addition of CNTs. The flexural modulus and strength of the silane-treated CNT/epoxy/basalt multi-scale composites increased by approximately 54% and 34%, respectively, compared to those of epoxy/basalt composites. A SEM examination of the fracture surfaces revealed that the improvement in the flexural properties of the silane-treated CNT/epoxy/basalt multi-scale composites could be attributed to the improved dispersion of the CNTs in the epoxy.
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Kim et al. (2011) studied this question.
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