The importance of interfacial design at the carbon nanotube/polymer composite interface

This research focuses on the need for interfacial engineering at the carbon nanotube/polymer composite interface in the effort to obtain enhanced mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)/poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposites were studied as a function of both nanotube concentration and surface treatment. One method, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), was successfully used to produce a PMMA conformal coating (using methyl methacrylate monomer) on multiwall carbon nanotubes. Excellent suspensions of MWNTs in organic solvents were achieved via the PMMA coating. The coated‐MWNTs were dispersed into PMMA via melt mixing and orientation was achieved by melt drawing. The overall set of mechanical properties indicates that while the conformal polymer coating had a significant effect on the mechanical properties at a 1% concentration of nanotubes as compared to the uncoated nanotube composites, suggesting improved interfacial adhesion between the nanotube and the matrix material. However, the mechanical properties of the 1% coated nanotube composite were not significantly better than those for pure PMMA.