Synergistic enhancement of CFRPs: combining CNT-doped thermoplastic veils and SWCNT-modified thermoplastic matrix
Szymon Demski, Kamil Dydek, Paweł Durałek, Paulina Latko-Durałek, Anna Wąsowska, Rafał Kozera, Piotr Mądry, Anna Boczkowska, Rafał Stanik, Maik Gude
Quarterly No. 4, 2024 pages 253-259
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62753/ctp.2024.07.4.4
keywords: CFRP, Elium® resin, thermoplastic veils, CNT
abstract The multifunctional enhancement of carbon fibre-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) is critical for their expanding applications in aerospace, automotive, and electronics industries. This study examines the combined effect of thermoplastic veils doped with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and a polymer matrix modified with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on the mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of CFRPs. Liquid thermoplastic acrylic resin Elium®, modified with 0.02 wt% SWCNTs served as the matrix, while thermoplastic veils based on polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) doped with 1.0 wt% MWCNTs were interleaved into the composite structure. Characterisation revealed that the SWCNTs formed conductive networks in the polymer matrix, enhancing electrical conductivity in-plane (X and Y directions) but not improving it through the thickness (Z direction) due to resin-rich regions introduced by the veils. The impact resistance improved across all the composites, particularly for the PPS-based veils, attributed to effective fibre bridging mechanisms. The glass transition temperature (Tg) also increased due to strong adhesion at the veil-matrix interface and molecular interactions between the nanofillers and the polymer matrix. The results highlight the potential of combining nanofiller-modified matrices with thermoplastic veils to achieve tailored multifunctional CFRPs. However, optimising the interlayer resin content remains crucial for further enhancing through-thickness conductivity. These findings contribute to advancing CFRPs for high-performance, multifunctional applications in diverse industries.