This Presentation Submitted to:

4 January 2012

Egypt-Japan university of Science and Technology

Overview Background Previous Work Review Predicted Outcomes Aims & Objectives Methods & Procedures Questions

This project is considered to be my first foundation stone for making the amazing aircraft structure material which is characterized by high strength, low weight, multifunctional and smart (Electrical & Thermal) with the lowest possible cost impact.

Presented by:

Abdalla Mohamed Abdalla 1

This Presentation Submitted to:

4 January 2012

Egypt-Japan university of Science and Technology

The mechanical properties of composite materials have allowed them to increase their presence in the aeronautical industry in the last 20 years.

Composite materials have mechanical properties comparable to those of the best metal alloys but with about a third of the weight.

Reinforcement of different matrices through the use of carbon nanotubes has been a major focus of research around the world. The problems associated with large filler particles (mainly stress concentrations) are considerably reduced due to the size of the nanotubes.

CNTs have a capacity of carrying electric current 1000 times higher than copper wires. CNTs also have thermal stability up to 2800 C, and thermal conductivity about twice as high as diamond. CNTs have an elastic modulus higher than 1 TPa, compared to 0.2 TPa for steel and 0.07 TPa for aluminium, and strengths 10 to 100 times higher than the strongest steel at a fraction of the weight.

Moreover, no other filler provides such a high strength and stiffness combined with a low density.

In composite laminates, the thin, unreinforced pure matrix layer that exists between plies has poor mechanical properties (stiffness, strength, fracture toughness) when compared to in-plane properties of the laminate. Delamination and matrix cracking between plies are the dominant modes of damage and therefore responsible for the reduction of properties in the direction normal to the plane.

Presented by:

Abdalla Mohamed Abdalla 2

This Presentation Submitted to:

4 January 2012

Egypt-Japan university of Science and Technology

In recent years several different solutions have tried to overcome this limitation: 3D-braiding, weaving and stitching (e.g., z-pinning) are the most promising solutions to date. All these processes increase to some extent the through-thickness mechanical properties of layered composite materials, but also reduce the laminates performance in the in-plane directions of the laminate.

A possible method to increase a composites resistance to delamination without compromising the in-plane properties is the use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the interface between layers that would not only improve the mechanical properties of the inter-ply region, but also can help reduce the crack propagation by bridging the two plies across the crack.

The relatively poor mechanical properties of the matrix and the fiber/matrix interfacial bond limit their use in particularly demanding applications. Carbon nanotubes increase the capacity of load transfer between matrix and fiber, on the one hand, they reinforce the matrix, increasing its load-carrying capability, on the other hand, they increase the effective interface area, favoring the load transfer.

The focus of this research is on exploiting CNTs outstanding nanoscale properties toward the development of macroscopic structural materials.

The mechanical properties of CNT/polymer and CNT/polymer/fiber composites have not been completely determined yet.

This work focuses on polymer-matrix composites because of the extensive number of present applications.
The study of multifunctional composites using carbon nanotubes is extremely interesting.

Taking all these considerations into account, the focus of this research is the mechanical characterization of polymer based composites using carbon nanotubes and their possible use in structural applications.

Presented by:

Abdalla Mohamed Abdalla 3

This Presentation Submitted to:

4 January 2012

Egypt-Japan university of Science and Technology

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can produce polymer nano-composite materials with mechanical properties (in-plane and out-of-plane) that are significantly better than those of the best aerospace grade carbon fiber reinforced material at relative small sizes due to the large CNT cost when used at high concentrations.

Very small concentrations of CNTs, acting as a secondary reinforcement phase and placed at the appropriate location, have been shown to significantly enhance some of the mechanical properties of structural composites with a minimum cost impact.

To develop new carbon nanotube structural products that are amenable for seamless integration

with existing structural composites manufacturing

methods and that will provide significant increases in thickness strength of laminated composite structures.

The ultimate goal is to enhance the performance and endurance of structural composites by

introducing small amounts of CNTs in to critical

areas, with relative ease and minimal cost impact.

Presented by:

Abdalla Mohamed Abdalla 4

This Presentation Submitted to:

4 January 2012

Egypt-Japan university of Science and Technology

1
Present a thorough review of previous analytical and experimental results in the processing and mechanical characterization of pure CNTs and composite materials based on CNTs; hybrid composites (CNT/polymer matrix/advanced fiber composite materials).

2
Present a thorough review of previous results

obtained from the fabrication and mechanical

characterization of composites using different ply orientations.

3
Present a thorough review of previous results obtained for the fabrication and mechanical

4
Build a prototype of the best properties from all
reviewed above and present results for the alignment of CNTs inside the structural composite.

characterization of nanocomposites using different

architectures for hybrid composites containing carbon nanotubes, advanced fibers, and polymer matrices.

5
Manufacture and process CNTs since it is well know that the best performance of these materials is achieved when the quality of the CNT is appropriately controlled (such as number of CNT walls, the number of defects on the surface of the CNT, the length of the CNTs, functionalization of the CNTs, resin compatibility, dispersion of the CNTs and other properties).

6
Develop new cost effective CNT forms (pre-preg tapes, pre-preg mats, sprays, or other advanced concepts) that can be applied to well defined hot spots and are amenable with existing PMC manufacturing processes.

Presented by:

Abdalla Mohamed Abdalla 5

This Presentation Submitted to:

4 January 2012

Egypt-Japan university of Science and Technology

6
The intent is not to apply these new forms throughout the entire composite structure, but only in localized areas that could benefit from additional out of plane reinforcement such as around fastener holes (improving properties at the fastener holes to achieve performance levels consistent with composite structure), ply drop-offs and other mentioned previously.

7
Demonstrate how carbon nanotubes (CNT) form is

applied during a manufacturing trial and

characterize its structural performance under an open hole compression test (OHC).

8
Optimize the CNT form (CNTs length, form thickness, length and width, processing parameters and other form parameters) in terms of OHC strength and/or interlaminar shear strength.

9
Expand on that CNT form to include other sizes and configurations. Investigate scale-up options and start developing manufacturing and commercialization plans taking into account the cost containment.

10
Extract conclusions and recommendations for future work.

Presented by:

Abdalla Mohamed Abdalla 6