Interfacial Load Transfer in Polymer/Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites with a Nanohybrid Shish Kebab Modification

Interfacial properties are known to have a critical effect on the mechanical properties of a nanocomposite material system. Here, the interfacial load transfer in a carbon nanotube (CNT)/nylon-11 composite was studied with a CNT/nylon-11 nanohybrid shish kebab (NHSK) structure modification using Raman spectroscopy. Characterization of the polymer crystal in the NHSK using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for the first time indicates that the NHSK structure formed a more perfect crystal structure than the bulk polymer. On the basis of transmission electron microscopy and DSC results, a new growth model for the NHSK crystal is hypothesized, indicating the formation of an initial uniform crystal layer on the CNT prior to the crystallization of the kebabs. Characterization of the nanocomposites using Raman spectroscopy, with the samples heated to introduce interfacial shear stress caused by thermal expansion mismatch, found that the D* band of the CNT in the NHSK/nylon-11 composite displayed a more pronounced shift with an increase in temperature, which is attributed to the NHSK structure being more effective at transferring load from the nylon matrix to the nanotube inclusions. The NHSK structure was also used to fabricate composites with two amorphous polymers, polycarbonate and poly(methyl methacrylate), to investigate the load transfer mechanism. It was found that when the compatibility between the polymer in the NHSK structure and the bulk polymer matrix at the molecular level is sufficiently high, the ensuing mechanical interlocking effect further enhances the interfacial load transfer for polymer nanocomposites. Additional mechanical characterization of polymer nanocomposites with 0.1 wt % NHSK reinforcement demonstrates how the moduli and ultimate tensile strength of the nanocomposites can be improved via this NHSK structure.