Abstract
Carbon nanotubes has better physical and mechanical behavior than the traditional materials. In this study, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were synthesized through the chemical vapor deposition process. The phenolic resin was used as the matrix material and the as-fabricated MWNTs were used as the reinforcement of the MWNTs/phenolic nano-composites. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, Young's modulus, percent elongation at break, and Poisson's ratio were measured. The effect of volume (weight) percentage of the MWNTs was investigated. Modified Halpin-Tsai equation was used to deduce the effective Young's modulus of as-fabricated MWNTs. Morphologies of the as-fabricated MWNTs and the fracture surface of MWNTs/phenolic composites were observed by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). © Institute of Materials Engineering Australasia Ltd 2005.