Research Article Adv. Mater. Lett. 2015, 6(2), 104-113 ADVANCED MATERIALS Letters Adv. Mater. Lett. 2015, 6(2), 104-113 Copyright © 2015 VBRI Press www.amlett.com, www.vbripress.com/aml, DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2015.5612 Published online by the VBRI press in 2015 Solvent free, efficient, industrially viable, fast dispersion process based amine modified MWCNT reinforced epoxy composites of superior mechanical properties Bhanu Pratap Singh 1* , Veena Choudhary 2 , Satish Teotia 1 , Tejendra Kumar Gupta 1 , Vidya Nand Singh 3 , Sanjay Rangnath Dhakate 1 , Rakesh Behari Mathur 1 1 Physics and Engineering of Carbon, Division of Materials Physics and Engineering, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 12, India 2 Centre for Polymer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Delhi 16, India 3 Electron Microscopy Section, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 12, India * Corresponding author. Tel: (+91) 11 45608460; E-mail: bps@nplindia.org Received: 12 August 2014, Revised: 03 November 2014 and Accepted: 15 November 2014 ABSTRACT Dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into epoxy resin is a challenging task for the process to be viable on industrial scale. Herein, amine functionalized MWCNTs (Am-MWCNTs) were reinforced into epoxy resin using industrially viable, fast, efficient, solvent free, high speed homogenizer dispersion technique. Am-MWCNTs ranging from 0.1 to 0.75% by w/w were loaded in epoxy and the effects of loading of Am-MWCNTs on mechanical properties of epoxy composites are investigated. The flexural strength of Am-MWCNTs based epoxy composites reached up to 163 MPa for 0.5 wt% MWCNTs loaded sample compared to 95 MPa for pure cured epoxy sample; an overall improvement of 72% in the flexural strength. In addition to this, the flexural modulus value reached to 3795 MPa for 0.75 wt% Am-MWCNTs loaded sample from 2250 MPa for pure epoxy sample, an improvement of 69%. The enhancement in the mechanical properties was correlated with the dynamic scanning calorimeter results, TEM and SEM images of fractured surface. The substantial improvement in the mechanical properties of the epoxy resin at such low CNT loading can open a venue for the preparation of structurally strong structures for aerospace, defence, automobile and sports industries. Copyright © 2015 VBRI Press. Keywords: Multiwalled carbon nanotubes; functionalization; mechanical properties; dispersion; high speed homogenizer. Bhanu Pratap Singh is a Senior Scientist at CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, India. He did B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from I.E.T. Lucknow, India, M.Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Kanpur, India and PhD form IIT Delhi, India. He has more than 10 years of research experience in the field of synthesis of carbon nanomaterials and their composites for structural, EMI shielding and anodes of Li-ion Batteries applications. He has published more than 50 research articles in reputed journals, 3 patents and author of three contributory chapters in international books. He is the editor of four international journals. Veena Choudhary is a well known distinguished professor in the field of Polymer Science and Engineering. Presently she is occupying the position of Reliance Chair Professor and Head, of Centre for Polymer Science and Engineering at IIT Delhi. She obtained her Ph.D. from IIT, Delhi in 1977. She has published/ presented more than 270 papers in Journals /conferences and five patents to her credit. She is a recipient of very prestigious awards from Germany-Alexander Von Humboldt Fellow during 1985-86, Indo-US Science and Technology Fellow USA during 1992-93 and visiting Professor in the University of Lund, Sweden, during 2000-2001. R.B. Mathur is presently associated as Emeritus Scientist at the CSIR-National Physical laboratory, New-Delhi, India. He specializes in Advanced carbon products e.g. carbon fibres; CNTs, carbon fibre and CNT reinforced polymer and carbon-carbon composites, carbon materials for energy applications etc. He has Published 152 research papers in peer reviewed journals, 4 chapters in books, applied/granted 13 patents, and transferred 5 technologies to industries. He has been a recipient of NRDC award (1993), CSIR-Raman Research Fellowship (1999), CSIR-Process Technology Shield (1999), B.D. Bangur Award (2006), Endeavour India Executive award from Govt. of Australia (2007).