Effect of fluorination on the mechanical behavior and electromagnetic interference shielding of MWCNT/epoxy composites

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/epoxy composites were prepared using MWCNT fluorinated to different extents. The mechanical properties, fracture surface morphologies and electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency (EMI-SE) of these composites were evaluated for epoxy matrices containing MWCNT with degrees of fluorination. The tensile strengths of the MWCNT/epoxy composites improved by 31% with treated MWCNT compared to that of the epoxy composites with untreated MWCNT. The EMI-SE values of the fluorinated MWCNT/epoxy composites improved up to 26% with increasing fluorination extent. The mechanical and electrical properties enhancement of the composites were attributed to the fluorinated MWCNT, which improved both the dispersion of the MWCNT in epoxy matrix and interfacial interactions between the MWCNT and the epoxy matrix. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.