On SWNT reinforced composites from a continuous mixing process

A new continuous impingement mixing process has been used to disperse unpurified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in a Shell EPON-862/EpiCURE system. Composites with up to 0.2 wt% loading of SWNTs were prepared by this process. The hydrodynamic dispersion of SWNTs was found to depend on the non-dimensional Curtet number (C-t). Dispersion was evaluated by analyzing SEM images of the fracture surface using an image processing technique based on the concept of Shannon entropy. Electrical conductivity of these composites was greatly enhanced when compared with the plain material. The behavior of electrical conductivity as a function of dispersion was found to be in accordance with results from the image processing technique, and was also used to estimate the sedimentation of SWNTs.