Dynamic mechanical analysis of single walled carbon nanotubes/polymethyl methacrylate nanocomposite films

Dynamic mechanical properties of nanocomposite films with different ratios of single walled carbon nanotubes/polymethyl methacrylate (SWCNTs/PMMA) are studied. Nanocomposite films of different ratios (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 weight percent (wt%)) of SWCNTs/PMMA are fabricated by using a casting technique. The morphological and structural properties of both SWCNT powder and SWCNTs/PMMA nanocomposite films are investigated by using a high resolution transmission electron microscope and x-ray diffractometer respectively. The mechanical properties including the storage modulus, loss modulus, loss factor (tan δ) and stiffness of the nanocomposite film as a function of temperature are recorded by using a dynamic mechanical analyzer at a frequency of 1 Hz. Compared with pure PMMA film, the nanocomposite films with different ratios of SWCNTs/PMMA are observed to have enhanced storage moduli, loss moduli and high stiffness, each of which is a function of temperature. The intensity of the tan δ peak for pure PMMA film is larger than those of the nanocomposite films. The glass transition temperature (T_g) of SWCNTs/PMMA nanocomposite film shifts towards the higher temperature side with respect to pure PMMA film from 91.2 °C to 99.5 °C as the ratio of SWCNTs/PMMA increases from 0 to 2.0 wt%. (paper)