Influence of Alkylation on Interface and Thermal Conductivity of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes-reinforced Epoxy Resin

Two functionalization methods. i.e., acid treatment and chemical amidation were performed to prepare the functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), and the properties of epoxy/functionalized MWCNT composites were investigated and compared. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to confirm the surface functionality of the MWCNT obtained by the functionalization methods. The effects of the MWCNT functionalization on the interface and thermal conductivity were studied by zeta potential analyzer, scanning electron microscope and thermal conductivity analyzer. From these results, it was confirmed that the thermal conductivity of the epoxy/MWCNT composites could be increased by grafting with dodecylamine. This could be interpreted by relatively strong dispersion forces of the grafting MWCNT with dodecylamine in DGEBF epoxy resin. These results were in good agreement with the results that the zeta potential value of the grafting MWCNT with dodecylamine has a higher negative value than that of MWCNT with acid treatment.