Effect of external electric field on the microstructures and properties of carbon nanotubes/thermosets nanocomposites

Abstract The alignment of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and thermosetting resins in nanocomposites based on field‐aided micro‐tailoring (FAiMTa) technology was studied by means of scanning electric microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the effect of the different values of electric field intensity on the changes of the microstructures and properties of nanocomposites were presented. The experimental results implied that the electric field encouraged the molecular alignment of polymers and MWCNTs orientation within the polymeric matrices along the field direction during their curing stages. It was found that the extents of their orientation and alignment were closely dependent on the external electric field intensity by means of Raman spectroscopy and AFM measurements. The thermal and dielectric properties of nanocomposites were examined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dielectric analysis (DEA), respectively. The TGA and DEA measurements revealed substantial differences in the thermal and dielectric behaviors for the thermoelectrically processed nanocomposites. These differences could be ascribed to the microstructural changes of matrix at the molecular level and the alignment of nanofillers. POLYM. COMPOS., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers