A comprehensive micromechanical modeling of electro-thermo-mechanical behaviors of CNT reinforced smart nanocomposites

Publication date: 15 May 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 122
Author(s): M.J. Mahmoodi, M. Vakilifard
Electro-thermo-elastic properties of CNT reinforced smart nanocomposites are predicted by a micromechanical method newly developed for piezoelectric and dielectric effects in the present study. The CNT is replaced by an effective rigorous carbon fiber and interphase demonstrating the van der Waals interactions. The CNTs regular and random arrangement within the matrix are taken into account. CNT reinforced PVDF (CNTRPVDF) nanocomposite is considered. Validation of the presented method is carried out by available experimental and theoretical studies. The effects of interphase thickness and Young's modulus, CNT volume fraction (CNTVF), orientation and aspect ratio on the effective properties of CNTRPVDF are examined. Results show that difference between random and square packing are negligible for the thermo-elastic properties while the difference is more pronounced for the piezoelectric properties. It is found that interphase region has a significant influence on the effective properties. Whereas, its influence on longitudinal properties is much greater than transverse properties. The orientation of CNTs plays an important role in the effective properties. An optimum CNT angle for maximum value of any property is reported. The results also state that the short CNTs with aspect ratios more than 100 can be treated as long CNTs for most of the properties.

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