Influence of carbon nanotube concentration and sonication temperature on mechanical properties of HDPE/CNT nanocomposites

Abstract

Carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites were prepared by a melt mixing procedure. The mechanical properties were analyzed using a central composite design where key factors were CNT concentration and sonication temperature during the sample preparation process. The results indicated that the optimum values were 0.8 wt% for the concentration of CNT and 55°C for the sonication temperature. The samples obtained at optimal conditions were systematically studied. Nanoindentation analysis showed an increase of 43% in Vickers hardness of the nanocomposite when compared to pure polymer. The improvement on the mechanical property is related to changes in the thermo-physical and viscoelastic properties of the nanocomposite.