Mechanical and electrical properties of spandex reinforced GMWNT/epoxy shape memory composites

In this presented paper, spandex fibers with high elasticity and high recovery ratio were added into shape memory epoxy resin, and the mechanical properties were improved obviously compared with pure shape memory resin. Compared with pure material, elastic modulus of the sample with 20vol% spandex was increased by 28.2%, tensile stress by 49.7%, and fracture strain by 16.4%. Then graphitized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (GMWNTs) were mixed into the spandex reinforced SMPCs to make it conductive. It was found that surface-modified (by acid treatment) GMWNTs incorporated very well with resin, and dispersion was achieved by high-energy sonication. In order to study the electrical conductivity, the Four-point Probe Method was conducted on the surface-modified GMWTs reinforced composites. ( an order of 6.86 x104 Ω •cm was obtained in samples with 4.5wt% modified-GMWNTs). In comparison with the pure spandex reinforced SMPCs, the elastic modulus of the surface-modified GMWTs (4.5wt%) reinforced composites was increased by 300%, the tensile stress by 26%. However, the elongation at break of the SMPCs was decreased when GWMNTs were mixed in it.

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