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Shaker Vibration Test Of Epoxy Composites Reinforced With Pristine And Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes

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Date

May-18

Authors

Rafiee, Mohammad
Nitzsche, Fred
Labrosse, Michel

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

CSME-SCGM

Abstract

The vibration and damping characteristics of epoxy composites reinforced with pristine and functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were investigated experimentally with potential use as integral passive damping elements in structural composite applications. The MWCNTs were introduced into the acetone solvent and then mixed with epoxy resin through a sonication process and mechanical stirring. The solvent was evaporated by means of magnetic hot plate and the hardener was added to the mixture once it was cooled down to room temperature. The MWCMTs/epoxy mixture was then injected into a mold to form the nanocomposite specimen. Nanocomposite specimens were fabricated for six different MWCNT loadings (0.02, 0.041, 0.061, 0.123, 0.25 and 0.37 wt%). Microstructural analysis, tensile and bending tests were carried out to examine the effects of pristine multi-walled carbon nanotubes (p-MWCNTs) and functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs). The frequency response functions (FRFs), coherence and phase diagrams of nanocomposites were measured using a shaker vibration technique. The periodic up-chirp signal was generated by a shaker to excite the cantilever nanocomposite specimen at the base. The damped natural frequencies and damping ratios were obtained for different loadings of MWCNTs. The experimental results indicated that the damped natural frequencies of p-MWCNTs/epoxy and f-MWCNTs/epoxy composites increased by adding MWCNTs up to 0.12 wt.% and, after that, decreased with higher MWCNT content. Another finding was that p-MWCNTs were beneficial to improve the damping ratio of nanocomposites. While the damping ratios of f-MWCNTs with loadings of 0.02-0.06 wt.% were higher than p-MWCNTs ones, they did not increase at higher CNTs contents for the first mode of vibration.

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Keywords

Experimental vibration, Carbon nanotubes, Polymer composite, Vibration damping, Functionalize CNTs, Epoxy nanocomposite, Manufacturing, Materials Technology, Microtechnology and Nanotechnology

Citation