Carbon nanotubes represent one of the most promising nanofillers in polymer-based nanocomposites, due to their rod-like geometry and other inherent properties (e.g. exceptional strength and effective electron transfer). Within the polymeric material, they establish a network that serves as a mechanical reinforcement or a conductive pathway, which is useful in various current and emerging technologies. As part of this master’s thesis, we discussed the effects of carbon nanotubes on time-dependent mechanical behavior, primarily focusing on the effects of nanotubes on mechanical reinforcement and creep rate. Results showed that adding nanotubes could increase the mechanical reinforcement up to 300% because of the network formation within the matrix material. Moreover, it was shown that adding nanotubes slows down the rate of the primary creep and also reduces the degree of crystallinity, which accelerates the rate of the secondary and tertiary creep.
|
