Wear Performance of Tetrazine Modified Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube/Epoxy Composites

ABSTRACT: A graft-amino functional group was built on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) by the receation of tetrazine with -bond of MWNTs. A kind of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT)/epoxy composite was prepared by means of tetrazine modified multi-walled carbon nanotube at elevated temperature. The interface properties of MWNT/epoxy composites were improved by the building of a chemical bond between the graft-amino group on the wall of nano-carbon tubes and epoxy functional group. The reaction mechanism is presented in Figure 2. The state of MWNT after modification was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Perkin Elmer Spectrum (FTIR). It was found that the morphology and structure of MWNT show great changes by treated tetrazine and MWNT was found well-dispersed in the matrix. The MWNT/epoxy (EP) composite exhibited a lower friction coefficient and lower wear rate compared to those without tetrazine modification. The friction coefficient of the composites is 6.5 % lower than that of untreated MWNTs/EP composites and the wear rate is 71.4% lower. The dispersion of MWNTs has remarkable effect on the tribological properties of the composites and is presented in Figure 3. KEY WORDS: modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes, tetrazine, epoxy resin, friction and abrasion