Prediction of mechanical properties of CNT/epoxy nanocomposite-3D RVE-based approach

In this study, effect of aspect ratio, waviness and agglomeration on mechanical properties of CNT/epoxy composite, including Young s modulus and ultimate strength, is predicted by a micromechanical approach. A two-phase three-dimensional representative volume element (RVE) is created in Digimat software and imported to Abaqus for finite element analysis. Mechanical behavior of CNT and epoxy is assumed to be isotropic linear elastic and elastic-plastic, respectively. Result showed that mechanical properties decrease with considering nanotube waviness and increase by increasing aspect ratio up to specific value for a given mass fraction without considering agglomeration. While agglomeration causes a reduction in mechanical properties after mass fraction reaches to a certain value.