1T9.

Failure of nanocomposites 95

FRACTURE MECHANISMS IN CARBON NANOTUBE-REINFORCED

COMPOSITES

E. T. Thostenson and T.-W. Chou

Department of Mechanical Engineering and
Center for Composite Materials
University of Delaware
Newark DE 19716 USA
chou@me.udel.edu

Carbon nanotubes have been targeted for potential applications ranging from the next generation of
computers and flat-panel displays to structural and functional materials. In addition to their well-
known stiffness (> 1 TPa) and strength (~30 GPa) properties, carbon nanotubes also possess
exceptionally high electrical and thermal conductivities, with the axial thermal conductivity near
that of crystalline diamond. The unique mechanical and physical properties of nanotubes offer
tremendous opportunity for the development of multi-functional composites [1, 2]. Full
understanding of the thermo-mechanical behavior of nanotube-based composites, requires
knowledge of the elastic and fracture properties of carbon nanotubes as well as interactions at the
nanotube/matrix interface. Although this requirement is no different from that in conventional
fiber composites [2], the scale of the reinforcement phase diameter has changed from micrometer
(e.g. glass and carbon fibers) to nano-meter. The change in reinforcement scale poses new
challenges in the development of processing techniques for these composites as well as
characterization techniques and methodologies to measure their elastic and fracture behavior.
A fundamental knowledge of the process/structure/property relationships is required to enable
the design of multi-functional materials by structuring at the nanoscale. A novel technique to
produce continuous nanocomposite ribbons of aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes has been
developed [3]. This model nanocomposite system serves as a basis for the investigation of
structure/property relationships through characterization of their elastic and fracture behavior. The
elastic and fracture behavior of the model nanotube composites indicate the anisotropy in the load
transfer and confirm that nanotubes are able to carry load that is transferred via shear stresses at the
nanotube/matrix interface and through characterization of this model system a fundamental
knowledge of their structure/property relations has evolved [4]. The tensile fracture behavior of
carbon nanotube composites show similar mechanisms as in traditional fiber composites including
nanotube fracture, pullout, and crack bridging [3]. For compressive deformation, critical
nanoscale buckling behavior of carbon nanotubes was observed where small diameter nanotubes
deform through global bending analogous to Euler-type buckling and large diameter nanotubes
show locally sharp kinking [5]. These deformation behaviors suggest a critical diameter may exist
for the change in buckling modes and could have significant implications on the nanoscale design
of composite compressive properties.
Recent research by Gojny et al. [6] has shown that very low concentration of double-walled
carbon nanotubes (0.1 wt%) can result in substantial improvements in fracture toughness. In order
to evaluate the influence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the fracture toughness of epoxy
nanocomposites we fabricated composites with nanotube contents ranging between 0.1 wt% and 1
wt% in an EPON 862 epoxy matrix. The nanotubes were first dispersed in the epoxy resin and the
curing agent (Epi-Cure W) was added. The nanocomposites were then placed in a mold and cured
for 6 hours at 130oC. Fracture toughness measurements were conducted using the single-edge-
notch bending (SENB) method. Specimens were notched with a tapered diamond blade and a pre-
crack was introduced by tapping with an ultra-sharp carbon steel razor blade.
96 E. T. Thostenson and T.-W. Chou

The fracture toughness of the epoxy nanocomposites was significantly improved as compared
to the unreinforced resin. This indicates that nanotubes provide a reinforcing effect in improving
the fracture toughness through crack deflection or nanotube fracture and pullout. SEM
micrographs of the composite fracture surface show a change in the micron-scale surface
roughness and also the presence of nanotube pullout.

References
1. Thostenson, E.T., Li C.Y. and Chou T.W. Compos. Sci. Technol., vol. 65, 491-516, 2005
2. Thostenson, E.T., Ren Z.F. and Chou T.W. Compos. Sci. Technol., vol. 61, 1899-1912, 2001
3. Thostenson, E.T. and Chou T.W. J Phys D: Appl. Phys. vol. 35, L77-L80, 2002
4. Thostenson, E.T. and Chou T.W. J Phys D: Appl. Phys. vol. 36, 573-582, 2003
5. Thostenson, E.T. and Chou T.W. Carbon vol. 42, 3015-3018, 2004
6. Gojny F., Wichmann M and Kopke U, et al. Compos. Sci. Technol., vol. 64, 2363-2371, 2004