Résumé:

The anisotropic shape and the very high stiffness of carbon nanotubes make them good candidates for the reinforcement of various materials. For instance polymer-nanotubes blends could be used as a new material but also as a matrix for carbon fibre composites in order to improve their mechanical properties, in particular under compressive loading. Tn this study, we have prepared several SWNTs-epoxy blends containing various SWNTs weight percentages (from 0 to 35%). Blends are themselves composite materials, observed and characterized by SEM, TEM and X-ray diffraction. Two methods are used to evaluate their stiffness: Vickers microindentation and three points bending tests. We observe a linear increase of the Young's modulus with the weight percentage of SWNTs. For comparison SWNTs purifted by a cross flow filtration process have also been used. The obtained results are discussed.