Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Crack Toughness Behaviour of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube (MWNT)/Polycarbonate Nanocomposites

2005; Wiley; Volume: 26; Issue: 15 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/marc.200500234

1521-3927

Bhabani K. Satapathy, Roland Weidisch, Petra Pötschke, Andreas Janke,

Polymer crystallization and properties

Abstract Summary: The morphology and fracture behaviour of polycarbonate (PC)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composites have been studied by AFM and post‐yield fracture mechanics. The essential work of fracture (EWF) method has been used to distinguish between two terms representing the resistance to crack initiation and crack propagation. A maximum in the non‐essential work of fracture was observed at 2 wt.‐% MWNT, demonstrating enhanced resistance to crack propagation compared to pure PC. At 4 wt.‐% MWNT, a tough‐to‐brittle transition has been observed. The time‐resolved in‐situ strain field analysis revealed that the onset of crack initiation was shifted to a shorter time for nanocomposites with 4 wt.‐% MWNT compared to that with 2 wt.‐%, and thus explained the existence of a tough‐to‐brittle transition in these nanocomposites. magnified image