Dynamic Characteristics of Functionalized Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Epoxy Composites: An Experimental Approach

The effects of amine functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and CNTs weight percent (wt. %), on the first bending natural frequencies and damping properties of CNT/epoxy composites are investigated in this paper. CNTs and amine functionalized CNTs (AFCNTs), with two different weight percentages, are used to manufacture the beam shaped specimens. Epoxy, CNT/epoxy (0.25 and 0.5 wt. % of CNTs) and AFCNT/epoxy (0.25 and 0.5 wt. % of AFCNTs) were fabricated. Experimental vibrational test is utilized in order to study the free vibration behavior of specimens under clamped-free boundary conditions. Natural frequencies and damping ratios are extracted from the experimental time response graphs. Results indicated that adding AFCNTs (0.5 wt. %) into the matrix material has the most effect on the natural frequency of the beam. In this case, the damping ratio has the lowest value. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the fracture surface of the specimens are prepared. The images illustrate that amine functionalization of CNTs leads to better dispersion of CNTs into the epoxy matrix. Further, it can be observed that enhancement in the value of damping ratio is more dominant than enhancement in stiffness value by dispersing AFCNTs into the epoxy resin.