Mechanical and thermal properties of nanocomposite films based on an aromatic polyimide and carbon nanocones

The mechanical properties of nanocomposite films prepared by incorporating new type nanoparticles, namely, carbon nanocones (CNCs), into thermally stable polypyromellitimide (PMDA-ODA), have been investigated. As the nanocones concentration in the film increases, the Young's modulus and yield stress increase systematically. No manifestations of particle aggregation have been observed for nanoparticle concentrations up to 15 vol %. The creep has been studied in the nanocomposite films with different nanocones concentrations over wide ranges of tensile stresses and temperatures. The incorporation of these nanoparticles into the polypyromellitimide matrix stabilizes the behavior of the materials under long-term mechanical loading: as the nanocones concentration increases, a systematic decrease has been observed both in strain level during creep and in relaxation intensity in the material. Nanoparticles incorporation expands the temperature range of performance of the films.