Multi-walled carbon nanotubes/carbon fiber fabric multiscale hybrid materials for improving the mechanical and tribological properties of phenolic resin composites

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)/carbon fiber fabric multiscale hybrid materials were prepared by grafting MWCNT on carbon fabric surface via heating grafted method to improve the mechanical and tribological properties of phenolic resin composites. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectrometer, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to analyze the surface properties of carbon fiber. The results shown that the tensile strength of composites modified by 0.15 wt% MWCNT was 38% higher than that of unmodified composites. The wear rates decreased from 3.31 × 10⁻¹⁴ m³ (N·m)⁻¹ for unmodified composites to 0.68 × 10⁻¹⁴ m³ (N·m)⁻¹ for 0.15 wt% MWCNT reinforced composites. The reason was that the uniformly distributed MWCNT could increase interface interaction and mechanical interlocking between carbon fiber fabric and resin matrix.