Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Engineering Molecular Recognition with Bio-mimetic Polymers on Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Published on: January 10, 2017
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes reinforced interpenetrating polymer network with ultrafast self-healing and anti-icing
1Advanced Polymer and Nanomaterial Laboratory, Department of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784028, India.
Hypothesis:
Fabrication of polymeric nanocomposites with suitable nanomaterial via an in-situ polymerization approach results in multifunctional advanced materials.
Experiments:
The present work demonstrates the fabrication of interpenetrating polymer network (IPN)-based smart nanocomposites of polyurethane and polystyrene (PS) with different weight percentages of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). The MWCNT was grafted with pre-polymer of PS. The grafted-MWCNT and the nanocomposites were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopic, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopic studies. Further, different properties of the nanocomposites were evaluated.
Findings:
The fabricated nanocomposites showed excellent enhancement in mechanical (tensile strength: 175.9%; elongation at break: 161.9%; and toughness: 279.8%) and thermal (initial degradation temperature: 107.8%) properties compared to the pristine IPN. The improved properties are because of strong interfacial matrix-nanomaterial interactions. In addition, the nanocomposites demonstrated high water repellence (static contact angle varied from 127.9° to 143.6°), outstanding self-cleaning and anti-icing (freezing delay time of 1850-2700 s) behaviors. Most interestingly, the fabricated nanocomposites exhibited excellent self-healing ability under the exposure of microwave (within 46-22 s at 300 W power input) and sunlight (within 318-257 s, light intensity: 0.9-1.1 × 105 lux). Therefore, the studied nanocomposites hold significant potential to be used in the domains of advanced smart materials.
More Related Videos
09:35Preparation and Evaluation of Hybrid Composites of Chemical Fuel and Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes in the Study of Thermopower Waves
Published on: April 10, 2015
11:09Grafting Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes with Polystyrene to Enable Self-Assembly and Anisotropic Patchiness
Published on: April 1, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Polymers
Attribution Theory
Fundamental Attribution Error
Attribution
Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior is followed by the presentation of a rewarding stimulus, increasing the frequency of that behavior. For example:
Network Covalent Solids
To break or to melt a covalent network solid, covalent bonds must be broken. Because covalent bonds are relatively strong, covalent network solids are typically...