Mori-Tanaka-based statistical methodology to compute the effective Young modulus of polymer matrix nano-composites considering the experimental quantification of nanotubes dispersion and alignment degree

This paper presents a Mori-Tanaka-based statistical methodology to predict the effective Young modulus of carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-reinforced composites considering three variables: weight content, reinforcement dispersion and orientation. Last two variables are quantified by two parameters, namely, free-path distance between nano-reinforcements and orientation angle regarding the loading direction. To validate the present methodology, samples of multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs)-reinforced polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-matrix composite were manufactured by mixing solution. The MWCNT/PVA Young modulus was measured by nano-indentation, while the MWCNTs Young modulus was quantified by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Both stretched and unstretched composite specimens were fabricated. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and in-plane image analysis were used to obtain fitting coefficients of log-normal frequency distribution functions for the free-path distance and orientation angle. It was evidenced that numerical results fit well to measured values of effective Young modulus of MWCNTs and MWCNT/PVA, with exception of some particular cases where significant differences were found. Microstructural heterogeneities, cluster formation, polymer chains alignment, errors associated with the dispersion, orientation and mechanical characterization procedures, as well as idealization and statistical errors, were identified as possible causes of these differences. Finally, using the proposed methodology and the dispersion and orientation distribution functions experimentally obtained, the effective Young modulus is estimated for three kinds of thermoplastic matrices (polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene ketone, and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) with different kinds of nanotubes (single wall, double wall, and multi-walled), at different weight contents, finding the superior mechanical performance for double-walled CNTs-reinforced composites and the lower one for multi-walled CNTs-reinforced ones.

Biokinetic Evaluation of Contrast Media Loaded Carbon Nanotubes Using a Radiographic Device

Considerable progress has been made in various fields of applied research on the use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Because CNTs are fibrous nanomaterials, biosafety of CNTs has been discussed. The biokinetic data of CNTs, such as using the radioisotope of carbon and surface labeling of CNTs, have been reported. However, the use of radioisotopes requires a special facility. In addition, there are problems in the surface labeling of CNTs, including changes in surface properties and labels eliminating over time. In order to solve these problems and properly evaluate the biokinetics of CNTs, the authors synthesize peapods with platinum (Pt) encapsulated within the hollow region of Double-Walled CNTs (DWCNTs) and develop a new system to evaluate biokinetics using widely available imaging equipment. In the cell assay, no significant difference is observed with and without Pt in CNTs. In animal studies, radiography of the lungs of rats that inhaled Pt-peapods show the detectability of Pt inside the CNTs. This new method using Pt-peapods enables image evaluation with a standard radiographic imaging device without changing the surface property of the CNTs and is effective for biokinetics evaluation of CNTs.

Measurement and study of thermophysical properties of nanofluids with carbon nanotubes

This article is devoted to the study of the thermophysical properties of nanofluids with single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT). Their weight concentration varied from 0.05 to 0.2%. Nanofluids, based on ethylene glycol and water, were studied. Dispersants were also used. The diffusion of CNT had been systematically investigated by the method of dynamic light scattering and their effective hydrodynamic dimensions were determined. The rheology and viscosity of all nanofluids were studied. It is shown that nanofluids are either pseu-doplastic or viscoplastic. Their rheology changes with increasing CNT concentration and temperature. However, in all cases, the viscosity of nanofluids with single-walled CNTs is signifi-cantly higher than that of nanofluids with multi-walled CNTs. In the last part, the electrical conductivity of all these nanofluids and the dispersants effect on it are investigated.

A Review on Carbon Nanotubes (CNT): Structure, Synthesis, Purification and Properties for Modern day Applications

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), composed of graphene/graphite sheets, have been used since the 1990s and become one of the most important materials owing to its massive applications in energy, environmental and life sciences. In general, there are two types of known CNTs such as single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) and multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs). They have broader and novel fields of application in the fabric and textile industries, wastewater treatment, energy storage, and also as structural reinforcement materials. CNTs are reported to synthesize by arc discharge, laser ablation and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods where CVD technique is found to be the most versatile and largely used method. In all the methods synthesized CNTs contain various degrees of impurities which are purified by oxidation treatment, ultra-sonication, magnetic purification, etc. CNTs have wide range of industrial applications due to their remarkable mechanical, thermal, electrical, chemical and biological properties. In this review, medical and biomedical applications of CNTs and CNTs-based composites are specially focused due to their significant applications in these fields along with their structure, classification, preparation and related properties. Besides, CNTs’ toxicity and biosafety, especially on the human body, are also discussed in this review article.

Heat and Mass Transfer Enhancement of MHD Hybrid Nanofluid Flow in the Presence of Activation Energy

In this study, water is apprehended as conventional fluid with the suspension of two types of hybrid nanoparticles, namely, single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) and multiwalled CNTs (MWCNTs). The influence of a magnetic field, thermal radiation, and activation energy with binary chemical reaction has been added to better examine the fine point of hybrid nanofluid flow. The mathematical structure regarding the physical model for hybrid nanofluid is established and then the similarity variables are induced to transmute the leading PDEs into nonlinear ODEs. These equations were solved using the shooting technique together with RKF 4-5th order for various values of the governing parameters numerically. The results of prominent parameters were manifested through graphs and tables. The results indicate that the hybrid nanofluid SWCNT − MWCNT / water is fully adequate in cooling and heating compared to other hybrid nanofluids. In addition, the rise in the value of activation energy E upsurges the nanoparticle transfer rate of hybrid nanofluid.

Investigating the Effect of CNTs on Early Age Hydration and Autogenous Shrinkage of Cement Composite

In this study, the effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the physical properties of cement composites was investigated. The mechanism of the change of autogenous shrinkage of CNTs-reinforced cement composites was also examined. In the experiments, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and fly ash (FA) were used as binders, and 0.0, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5% multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) were added to fabricate pastes. When the hydration heat was measured through isothermal calorimetry, it was found that CNTs accelerated the early age hydration of the pastes and that the hydration rate increased as the CNT content increased. The compressive strength was the highest when the CNT content was 0.1%. As the CNT content increased, the internal relative humidity (IRH) decreased and autogenous shrinkage showed a decreasing tendency. Through the analysis of the correlation between autogenous shrinkage and IRH, it was confirmed that the reduction in autogenous shrinkage due to the addition of CNTs resulted from the decrease in bulk strain.

An investigation into the free vibrations of carbon nanotubes using analytical and finite element methods

Since their discovery, immense attention has been given to carbon nanotubes (CNTs), due to their exceptional thermal, electronic and mechanical properties and, therefore, the wide range of applications in which they are, or can be potentially, employed. Hence, it is important that all the properties of carbon nanotubes are studied extensively. This thesis studies the vibrational frequencies of double-walled and triple-walled CNTs, with and without an elastic medium surrounding them, by using Finite Element Method (FEM) and Dynamic Stiffness Matrix (DSM) formulations, considering them as Euler-Bernoulli beams coupled with van der Waals interaction forces. For FEM modelling, the linear eigenvalue problem is obtained using Galerkin weighted residual approach. The natural frequencies and mode shapes are derived from eigenvalues and eigenvectors, respectively. For DSM formulation of double-walled CNTs, a nonlinear eigenvalue problem is obtained by enforcing displacement and load end conditions to the exact solution of single equation achieved by combining the coupled governing equations. The natural frequencies are obtained using Wittrick-Williams algorithm. FEM formulation is also applied to both double and triple-walled CNTs modelled as nonlocal Euler-Bernoulli beam. The natural frequencies obtained for all the cases, are in agreement with the values provided in literature.