ABSTRACT

Processing, Characterization and Scaling of Fiber Reinforced Nanomatrix Polymeric Composites

Speaker: Mahesh Khanolkar

Advisor: Dr. Kwabena A. Narh

Polymer composites are widely used in automotive, aerospace, construction and electronic industries because they provide improved mechanical properties (e.g., stiffness, strength) and physical properties over pure polymers. Nanocomposites are a new class of materials providing superior properties when compared to their microcomposite counterparts. An addition of a small amount of nanoparticles can significantly improve a variety of properties without sacrificing the lightweight of polymer matrices. Carbon nanofibers in particular are widely used as reinforcements for polymeric matrices in many high technology applications by virtue of their high tensile modulus and strength. This research includes an introduction to Carbon nanofiber reinforced composites for their potential applications in industry. The review includes processing of the composite, characterization (analyzing thermal, mechanical properties), scaling and relevant applications. Future work and trends in this research are also discussed.

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