Analysis of multiaxial properties of carbon nanotubes/polypropylene and nanocrystalline cellulose/polypropylene composites

Using the beam element to simulate single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), finite element method is adopted to perform multi‐axial numerical tests to compare SWCNT and NCC reinforced polypropylene (PP). As a first step, SWCNT and NCC are assumed to be isotropic and linear elastic materials, while PP is assumed to be linear elastic or elastic–plastic. Using the same reinforcement volume fraction, the elastic and elastic–plastic properties of the nanocomposites are compared under biaxial and triaxial loading conditions. Then, the effect of particle volume fraction and particle size is presented. When NCC and SWCNT have equal particle length and number but different particle diameter, both can produce similar improvement on biaxial mechanical properties. Finally, NCC and SWCNT are compared from an economic point of view to get similar mechanical performance (biaxial properties). The results show that NCC is about 646 times cheaper than SWCNT and is an interesting prospect for future work. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1180–1189, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers