An effort is made to gain insight on the effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the impact response of carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRs) under low velocity impact. Certain amount of CNTs could lead improvements in mechanical properties of composites. In the present investigation, ABAQUS/Explicit finite element code (FEM) is employed to investigate various damages modes of nano composites ...

We demonstrate a "universal solvent sensor" constructed from a small array of carbon/polymer composite chemiresistors that respond to solvents spanning a wide range of Hildebrand solubility parameters. Conductive carbon particles provide electrical continuity in these composite films. When the polymer matrix absorbs solvent vapors, the composite film swells, the average separation between carbo...

Carbon dots were used as a reducing agent for the synthesis of Pd nanoparticles coated with ultrathin carbon dot shells of ca. 4 nm. The resulting composite nanoparticles showed high catalytic activity for the Heck and Suzuki coupling reactions.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of total-contact fitted carbon-composite knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFOs) on energy cost of walking in patients with former polio who normally wear a conventional leather/metal KAFO or plastic/metal KAFO. DESIGN A prospective uncontrolled study with a multiple baseline and follow-up design. Follow-up measurements continued until 26 weeks after intervention...

The goal of this work is to develop and investigate the properties of a new type of multifunctional composite which is based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). The composite was prepared from a MWCNT “bucky paper” film which was sandwiched between two adhesive layers. Both two point probe and four point probe methods were used to test its mechanical strain sensing properties. The Young’ ...

In this article, we report a newly devised composite electrode for electrochemical capacitors, by depositing manganese dioxide (MnO2) on the surface of carbon nanotubes via a spontaneous redox reaction. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopic studies demonstrated a homogeneous coating of layered MnO2 on the surface of the carbon nanotubes. The MWNT@MnO2 composite electrode displ...

The contemporary Formula 1 racing car makes extensive use of advanced composite materials in its construction. The design, manufacture, and ultimate performance under compression of composite suspension push-rods that typically could be used in a Grand Prix racing car are described in this present paper. An aerofoil cross section has been used based on different lay-ups of carbon/epoxy composit...

Gas sensors play vital role in detecting, monitoring and controlling the presence of hazardous and poisonous gases in the atmosphere at very low concentrations. The composite prepared by mixing carbon black with PMMA has very good gas sensing applications. The gas sensors based on Carbon nanotube / polymer, ceramic and metal oxide, epoxide, polyimide, PMMA / BaTiO3 and SnO2 have also been devel...

The fabrication of manganese oxide-carbon composite microspheres with open nanochannels and their electrochemical performance as anode materials for lithium ion batteries are investigated. Amorphous-like Mn3O4 nanoparticles embedded in a carbon matrix with three-dimensional channels are fabricated by one-pot spray pyrolysis. The electrochemical properties of the Mn3O4 nanopowders are also compa...

Titanium dioxide/single-walled carbon nanotube (TiO2/SWNT) composites were prepared for photocatalytic applications. The composites were characterized using UV-visible and Raman spectroscopy, zeta-potential measurements, cyclic voltammetry (CV) coupled with a photoreactor, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectros...