The effect of carbon nanotube agglomeration on the thermal and mechanical properties of polyethylene oxide

The effects of agglomerated versus deagglomerated multiwalled carbon nanotubes on the thermal and mechanical characteristics of polyethylene oxide were studied. The specimens were prepared via solution-sonication method, using two procedures. In the first procedure, CNT-PEO solutions were prepared with as-received MWCNTs, before sonication using an ultrasonic bath; in the second procedure, aggregated MWCNTs were first deagglomerated using high-intensity ultrasonic processor, before mixing with the PEO. The two solution preparation procedures did result in significant thermal property differences such as increased transition temperature and crystallinity, but only one mechanical property can be conclusively associated with the sample preparation method-the breaking strain which was marginally higher for nano-composites containing deagglornerated CNTs, although in all cases the breaking strains were much lower for nanocomposites than for unfilled polymer. However, the overall results confirm the effectiveness of CNTs both as nucleation agents for semicrystalline polymers, and as fillers for enhancement of mechanical properties of the matrix polymer.