Phenomenological model of interfacial stress transfer in carbon nanotube reinforced composites with van der Waals effects

Abstract A pullout model is presented to analyze interfacial stress transfer in the double‐walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) reinforced composites. The effects of the van der Waals (vdW) interaction between two layers of DWCNT and the Poisson's effects of DWCNT and matrix are taken into account in the model. Based on the equilibrium of the interfacial shear stress and the DWCNT axial stress as well the continuous condition of the displacement and stress on the interface of DWCNT and matrix, normalized interfacial shear stress, DWCNT axial stress and matrix axial stress are derived, respectively. Moreover, the effects of DWCNT aspect ratio, DWCNT volume fraction and relative modulus between the DWCNT and matrix are analyzed in details. Finally, the maximum normalized interfacial shear stress with vdW effect is compared with that without vdW effects. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers