Effects of interfacial shear strength on the operative aspects of interphase section and tensile strength of carbon-nanotube-filled system: A modeling study

In this article, the required interfacial shear strength (τ_c) between a polymer medium and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is determined to define the operative interphase thickness in nanocomposites. The roles of the operative interphase thickness in the operative CNT loading and percolation onset are determined. Additionally, “τ_c,” interfacial shear strength (τ), operative filler concentration, CNT curliness, interphase thickness, and percolation onset are used to develop a model for determining the strength of CNT-filled systems. The equations and the suggested model adequately reflect the roles of the parameters in the model's outputs. In addition, many real values for several examples validate the proposed model. A low “τ_c” and high “τ” positively control the operative interphase thickness, operative CNT concentration, and percolation onset, thus improving the nanocomposite's strength. Among the variables considered herein, CNT size is the most important term because it changes the relative strength (nanocomposite's strength divided by polymer strength) from 1 to 25.