We present the implementation of aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a method to enhance properties of traditional advanced composites. The hybrid composites are 3-dimensional architectures of aligned CNTs, and existing advanced fibers and polymeric resins creating nanoengineered composites. Our work to date has focused on interlaminar strength and toughness, and electrical and thermal conductiv...

Molecular dynamics modeling shows that multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with sp;{3} interwall bonding have strengths exceeding those of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) containing the same size initial intrawall defect, and are far less sensitive to defect size. Thus, although processing methods used to increase interwall coupling also create intrawall defects, analyses here show that t...

Commercially available CdSe/ZnS and PbSe colloidal semiconductor quantum dots were employed to produce both an electron beam sensitive poly methyl methacrylate PMMA -quantum-dot QD positive composite via a prepolymerization processing and an electron beam and ultraviolet UV light sensitive SU-8-QD negative composite via a direct dispersion procedure. Compared to the QDs in the original colloida...

Particulate 45S5 Bioglass with an average size of 46 microm was incorporated into a high density polyethylene (HDPE) for potential medical applications. Composites with Bioglass volumes of 10, 20, and 40% were produced by a manufacturing process consisting of blending, compounding, powdering, and compression molding. The Bioglass particles were well dispersed, and their homogeneous distribution...

In this work we have used melt-processing to mix liquid-exfoliated boron-nitride nanosheets with PET to produce composites for gas barrier applications. Sonication of h-BN powder, followed by centrifugation-based size-selection, was used to prepare suspensions of nanosheets with aspect ratio >1000. The solvent was removed to give a weakly aggregated powder which could easily be mixed into PET, ...

[Abstract] MSC NASTRAN User Defined Services (UDS) and PATRAN were applied to perform load-displacement analysis of ACCC, a new type of power cable with hybrid composites reinforced core. PATRAN was used to model the geometry of the hybrid composites core, and MSC NASTRAN was implemented to analyze the load-displacement behavior of the structure. MSC NASTRAN UDS subroutine UMAT was used to prov...

The effect of electron beam processing (energy 900 keV, absorbed dose in the range from 25 to 600 kGy) of graphite upon the efficiency of its use as a filler in polyvinyl acetate (PVA) based vibrodamping composites is studied. Graphite treatment at optimal doses above 200 kGy is found to provide a significant increase of damping loss factor for these composites at ambient and especially at elev...

Multiwall carbon nanotube (MWNT) reinforced silicon nitride ceramics matrix composites have been prepared. The hot isostatic press (HIP)-sintering method was used for composite processing. Bending strength and elastic modulus of MWNT-silicon nitride composites showed a considerable improvement compared to matrices with added carbon fiber, carbon black or graphite. However, the silicon nitride s...

The objective of this article is to provide a review of friction stir processing (FSP) technology and its application for microstructure modification of particle reinforced composite materials. The main focus of FSP was on aluminum based alloys and composites. Recently, many researchers have investigated this technology for treating other alloys and materials including stainless steels, magnesi...