Reinforcement of Bisphenol-F epoxy resin composites with fluorinated carbon nanotubes

Abstract Pristine and fluorinated carbon nanotubes (CNT) were studied by FTIR, TGA, Raman spectroscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Influence of fluorination on CNT dispersion in epoxy resin was studied by the dynamic light scattering. It was shown that fluorination favoured CNT dispersion in epoxy matrix. Mechanical properties (tensile and flexural strength and modulus, abrasion resistance, thermal diffusivity and heat conductivity), thermal stability and fracture texture of epoxy resin (Bisphenol-F type) polymer composites with added unmodified and fluorinated CNT were studied. Insertion of pristine and fluorinated CNT into epoxy matrix did not influence composites thermal stability below 275 °C and resulted in a very small worsening of thermal stability over 275–375 °C range. Insertion of both pristine and fluorinated CNT into epoxy matrix resulted in composites reinforcement but fluorinated CNT were more efficient in reinforcement than pristine CNT. The best reinforcement was obtained for 0.1 wt % CNT fluorinated at 150 °C. Tensile strength and modulus were increased by 50% and 74% respectively, flexural strength and modulus were increased by 60 and 66% respectively. Obtained in the frames of the current research results on a relative reinforcement exceed data from available literature data. Insertion of both pristine and fluorinated CNT into epoxy matrix did not improve composite conductivity. Insertion of 0.5 wt % fluorinated CNT into composites resulted in +25% increase of the thermal diffusivity. Fluorinated CNT are more effective than pristine CNT. Presence of both pristine and fluorinated CNT did not influence thermal conductivity. Fluorinated CNT were more effective in abrasion decrease than pristine CNT. The best results – abrasion decrease by 33% - was obtained for the composites with 0.1 wt % fluorinated CNT.