Hardenning of polymeric composites by nanotubes

This diploma thesis focuses on the influence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the mechanical properties of a composite material with polyurethane (PU) matrix. The material was supplied in the form of thin films with thickness from 0.2 mm to 1.2 mm. The theoretical part of this thesis describes the production technology, properties and applications of composite materials PU/CNTs, and also deals with preparation technology and properties of both components of this composite material separately. The theoretical part also describes the principle of tensile testing of polymer materials. The experimental part of the thesis was primarily focused on comparing the tensile properties of a composite material PU/CNTs with tensile properties of pure PU. At first, tensile properties of pure PU were investigated, while the influence of various factors like strain rate, specimen thickness, heat treatment and aging was examined. In adition, stress relaxation tests and tests with strain rate jumps were performed on pure PU specimens. Then composite PU/CNTs was tested in tension and the results were compared with the results of tensile tests of pure PU. Composite material PU/CNTs was prepared with various concentrations, so it was possible to determine the effect of CNTs content on the tensile properties of the composite. The last part of this thesis deals with tensile tests of PU composite material with functionalized carbon nanotubes (PU/FCNTs), where the influence of surface modification (functionalization) of CNTs on the tensile properties composites was investigated. It was shown that the effect of both CNT and FCNT on mechanical properties of the composite is not significant. This conclusion was discussed on basis of the works of other authors, which do not unambiguously proved the positive effect of CNT or FCNT on mechanical properties of composites with polymer matrix