| The body of this work describes a novel approach for the dispersion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a high Tg epoxy prepolymer matrix using a twin screw high-shear continuous reactor. The method demonstrated improves on previous dispersion methods in several ways. It offers increased efficiency through excellent heat transfer, while being solvent-less, scale-able, and tailorable to drive dispersion states to judiciously chosen dispersion states. Furthermore, it was shown that dispersion state and agglomerate morphology can be directed, in several ways, through processing conditions and also by controlling the matrix viscosity profile through cure. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy, optical hot-stage microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used to both directly and indirectly monitor agglomerate dispersion state and track secondary agglomeration through to a cured and vitrified material. |
