Incorporation of Nanotubes into Epoxies for Fabricating Advanced Composites

This Phase I project will addresses the development of a new method for incorporating single walled nanotubes into epoxies. The great strength and light weight that can result from incorporating these tubes into composites is the motivation behind this work. The ability of poly(m-phenylenevinylene-co-2,5-dioctoxy-p-phenylenevinylene (PmPV) to encase and promote the solvation of long carbon nanotubes, permits use of this polymer for long nanotube incorporation into epoxies. Development of resin formulations suitable for this process will include consideration of both processing and performance of the resulting composites. Epoxy formulations will contain multiple resin, modifier, hardener, and diluent components, which interact to affect the most advantages processing and performance characteristics. This will be especially true with regarded to nanotube uptake and uniformity in the epoxy resins. Optimization of a multicomponent formulation to satisfy multiple requirements is materials intensive and time consuming, therefore this project will utilize a multicriteria optimization method to refine formulations to minimize these restraints. This mathematical technique provides for the systematic formulation and processing of variables to efficiently approach optimal performance of the material. This project will result in new epoxy resins capable of fabricating high performance aerospace composites containing nanotubes.