Chapter 8
Nanocomposites Based on Thermosetting
Polyurethane Matrix and Chemically
Modified Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes
L. V. Karabanova, R. L. Whitby, V. A. Bershtein, P. N. Yakushev, A. W. Lloyd,
and S. V. Mikhalovsky
8.1 Introduction
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which consist of cylindrical graphene layers, have
attracted considerable attention because of their unique structure and excellent
thermal, magnetic, electric and mechanical properties, in particular extremely high
mechanical strength to density ratio and high chemical stability; this made them the
outstanding candidates as nanofillers for polymers. It has been shown in numerous
studies that incorporation of CNTs into polymer matrices may substantially modify
their properties and lead to the nanocomposites with the enhanced performance
[1, 2]. However, the final effect depends on the type of CNTs, whether as singlewalled (SWCNTs), multiwalled (MWCNTs) and also spiral- and Y-shaped forms,
as well as the physical and chemical state of their surface and the polymer mixing
method utilised. In the direct mixing of pure CNTs into a host matrix, it is often
difficult to separate agglomerated CNTs due to their intrinsic hydrophobic surface
and to obtain a reasonable dispersion quality. Typically, the outer surface of CNTs
contains a π-bond network that tends to promote CNT-CNT π–π interactions to
minimise the surface energy. The agglomeration of CNTs reduces the interfacial
area in the nanocomposites and may lead even to zero or negative impact on the
properties of polymer matrices. Therefore, achieving a homogeneous dispersion of
L. V. Karabanova ()
Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv,
Ukraine
R. L. Whitby · A. W. Lloyd · S. V. Mikhalovsky
University of Brighton, Brighton, UK
V. A. Bershtein · P. N. Yakushev
Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
O. Fesenko, L. Yatsenko (eds.), Nanochemistry, Biotechnology, Nanomaterials,
and Their Applications, Springer Proceedings in Physics 214,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92567-7_8
115
Nanocomposites Based on Thermosetting
Polyurethane Matrix and Chemically
Modified Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes
L. V. Karabanova, R. L. Whitby, V. A. Bershtein, P. N. Yakushev, A. W. Lloyd,
and S. V. Mikhalovsky
8.1 Introduction
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which consist of cylindrical graphene layers, have
attracted considerable attention because of their unique structure and excellent
thermal, magnetic, electric and mechanical properties, in particular extremely high
mechanical strength to density ratio and high chemical stability; this made them the
outstanding candidates as nanofillers for polymers. It has been shown in numerous
studies that incorporation of CNTs into polymer matrices may substantially modify
their properties and lead to the nanocomposites with the enhanced performance
[1, 2]. However, the final effect depends on the type of CNTs, whether as singlewalled (SWCNTs), multiwalled (MWCNTs) and also spiral- and Y-shaped forms,
as well as the physical and chemical state of their surface and the polymer mixing
method utilised. In the direct mixing of pure CNTs into a host matrix, it is often
difficult to separate agglomerated CNTs due to their intrinsic hydrophobic surface
and to obtain a reasonable dispersion quality. Typically, the outer surface of CNTs
contains a π-bond network that tends to promote CNT-CNT π–π interactions to
minimise the surface energy. The agglomeration of CNTs reduces the interfacial
area in the nanocomposites and may lead even to zero or negative impact on the
properties of polymer matrices. Therefore, achieving a homogeneous dispersion of
L. V. Karabanova ()
Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv,
Ukraine
R. L. Whitby · A. W. Lloyd · S. V. Mikhalovsky
University of Brighton, Brighton, UK
V. A. Bershtein · P. N. Yakushev
Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
O. Fesenko, L. Yatsenko (eds.), Nanochemistry, Biotechnology, Nanomaterials,
and Their Applications, Springer Proceedings in Physics 214,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92567-7_8
115