Improvement of Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotube Composites through Chemical Functionalization

Chemically functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes were incorporated into a polymer matrix by in situ polymerization, to improve the transfer of mechanical load through a chemical bond, which was demonstrated by Raman and infrared spectroscopies. The resulting composite shows higher storage modulus (E′) and tensile strength than existing similar composites, with only 1 wt % of functionalized nanotubes. E′ at 90 °C is increased by an outstanding 1135% and the glass transition temperature is exceptionally raised by ≅40 °C.