Mechanical Properties of Composites Prepared Using LBL Approach

7 Mechanical Properties of Composites Prepared Using LBL Approach 

In a similar study, Olek et al. fabricated LBL composites using MWNT and PEI. Two types of MWNT were used hollow and bamboo . The bamboo composites displayed moduli and strengths of 4.5 GPa and 150 MPa respectively. The hollow MWNT composites showed slightly lower values of 2 GPa and 110 MPa, respectively. To further emphasise the importance of tube type and quality, hollow nanotubes were boiled in nitric acid before composite fabrication. This resulted in much lower modulus and strength values of 0.2 GPa and 35 MPa, respectively. 

Thus several researchers have produced nanotube-polymer composites with mechanical increases close to the theoretical maximum using a variety of preparation and functional procedures. However, it could be argued that in some cases where nucleation of crystallinity occurs, nanotubes should only be considered as a pseudo-reinforcement agent in polymer composites. 

---