Improvement of the structural, thermal, and mechanical properties of polyurethane adhesives with nanoparticles and their application to Al/Al honeycomb sandwich panels

Understanding the relationship between core/face adhesive interface and performance of MWCNT added nanoadhesives are essential for better designing and fabrication of aluminum honeycomb sandwich panels. In this study, we used multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to prepare enhanced interfacial adhesion between honeycomb core and aluminum facesheet. MWCNTs are first introduced to isocyanate, and then MWCNTs/isocyanate blend poured into polyol to produce MWCNTs reinforced polyurethane (PU) nanoadhesives. The relationship between core/face adhesive interface and performance of MWCNT added nanoadhesives are investigated in detail in terms of thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, edge-wise compression tests, flat-wise tensile tests and three-point bending tests The experimental results showed that the MWCNT addition to PU adhesive led to enhanced thermal stability, flat-wise tensile strength and edge-wise compression strength for sandwich structures. This study gives a significant reference indicator on the fabrication of an improved core/face interface for obtaining sandwich panels with desired mechanical properties.

Automated summary

Understanding the relationship between the core/face adhesive interface and the performance of MWCNT added nanoadhesives is crucial for designing and fabricating aluminum honeycomb sandwich panels. This study investigated the use of MWCNTs to enhance the interfacial adhesion between the honeycomb core and aluminum facesheet. Experimental results showed that adding MWCNTs led to improved thermal stability and mechanical strength of the sandwich structures.