A thermomechanical comparative study on carbon and boron nitride nanotube-reinforced polymer composites

The reinforcement effect of boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) and carbon nanotube (CNT) on thermoelastic behavior of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposites was compared through a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and mean-field micromechanics model. Uniaxial tension, shearing, cooling down, and pullout simulations were implemented in MD simulations. In micromechanics, the multi-inclusion (M-I) model was adopted. Both nanocomposites showed similar transversely isotropic elastic constants and coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs). BNNTs provided better interfacial load transfer and dispersibility with PMMA; meanwhile, CNTs reduced the CTE of the matrix more. For both nanocomposites, the thermoelastic behavior was sensitive to the interfacial imperfection and interphase zone.

Automated summary

The reinforcement effect of boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) and carbon nanotube (CNT) on the thermoelastic behavior of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposites was compared using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and mean-field micromechanics models. Both types of nanotubes showed different enhancements in the properties of the composites, with the thermoelastic behavior being sensitive to interfacial imperfections and interphase zones.