Electroactive shape-memory polymer nanocomposites incorporating carbon nanofiber paper

Stresses in Shape Memory Polymer-matrix Nanocomposites for Biomedical Applications

We report on the residual stresses in amorphous shape memory polymers reinforced with SiC particles. After 50% compression of the composite material at 25 °C, the SiC particles exhibit a compressive stress, which is almost completely released during heated recovery at 120 °C. The residual stresses in SiC hexagonal (6H) phase were estimated through the average change of the unit-cell volume. Lat...

Carbon Nanofiber Reinforced Carbon/Polymer Composite

Conventional carbon fiber reinforced phenolic resins are widely used to prepare carbon/carbon composites due to their high carbon yield. Property enhancement of carbon fabric/phenolic composites is possible through carbon nanomaterial dispersion in the matrix. The effect of carbon nanofiber dispersion in phenolic resins/carbon fabric composites was investigated. The dispersion efficiency in dif...

Fabrication and Properties of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate-Carbon Nanofiber Nanocomposites

Carbon nanofiber (CNF) is one of the stiffest materials produced commercially, having excellent mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. The reinforcement of rubbery matrices by CNFs was studied in the case of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). The tensile strength was greatly (61%) increased, even for very low fiber content (i.e., 1.0 wt.%). The surface modification of the fiber by high ener...

Shape-Memory Polymer Composites

The development of shape-memory polymer composites (SMPCs) enables high recovery stress levels as well as novel functions such as electrical conductivity, magnetism, and biofunctionality. In this review chapter the substantial enhancement in mechanical properties of shape-memory polymers (SMPs) by incorporating small amounts of stiff fillers will be highlighted exemplarily for clay and polyhedr...

Biofilm development on carbon nanotube/polymer nanocomposites