Amino functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes by gamma ray irradiation and its epoxy composites

In this paper, gamma-ray radiation technique was utilized to simply functionalize multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) with amino groups. The successful amino functionalization of MWCNTs (MWCNTs-Am) was proven and the physicochemical properties of MWCNTs before and after radiation grafting modifications were characterized using FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results indicated that the gamma-ray radiation had the visible effects on the surface properties of MWCNTs. The effects of various functionalized MWCNTs on morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties of an epoxy-based nanocomposite system were investigated. Utilizing in situ polymerization, 1 wt% loading of MWCNT was used to prepare epoxy-based nanocomposites. Compared to the neat epoxy system, nanocomposites prepared with MWCNT-Am showed 13.0% increase in tensile strength, 20.0% increase in tensile modulus, and 24.1% increase in thermal decomposition temperature. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. (c) 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers