Boron nitride nanotube reinforced polyurethane composites

Bulk-sized boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) reinforced polyurethane (PU) composites at different volume contents have been produced. A large quantity of BNNT fillers are synthesized by a boron ink method. Compared to the neat PU, the 0.5 vol% and 2.0 vol% BNNT reinforced composites show 38.2% and 6.3% increases in compressive modulus, respectively. The relatively less enhanced compressive modulus of the 2.0 vol% composite may be due to the agglomerations of nanotubes at high volume percentages. Contrary to normal behaviour, the composites show decreasing Rockwell (HRR) hardness values with an increasing volume fraction. (c) 2013 Chinese Materials Research Society. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.