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Cellulose is commonly acknowledged as a sustainable material owing to its abundance and renewability. However, the abundance of hydroxyl groups makes the paper material highly hydrophilic, and the hydrogen bonds between the fibers are easily broken by water, leading to the degradation of mechanical properties. This work details the fabrication of a composite paper comprising interwoven cellulose and polylactic acid (PLA) structures through hot‐pressing and PLA impregnation onto handwritten paper derived from conventional wood pulp fibers as the substrate. The investigation assessed how varying PLA concentrations influenced the overall characteristics of the composite paper, including its morphology, structure, mechanical properties, water absorption behavior, and water contact angle. Experimental results revealed that the composite paper fabricated through our approach exhibited an intertwined structure comprising both PLA and cellulose. With a tensile index reaching 33.24 kN·m/kg and a mere 31.1% loss in tensile index post‐water treatment, the mechanical properties of the composite paper were significantly enhanced due to the robust interfacial compatibility between cellulose and PLA, as well as the adhesive effect of PLA. Furthermore, the composite paper (CP) is easily processable and amenable to thermoforming into paper trays as required, indicative of its potential applications in the packaging industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although styrene acrylate emulsions (SAE) have demonstrated promising applications as surface sizing agents for paper, their strengthening effect on pulp fibers in papermaking is not clear. In this study, bagasse fibers, an agricultural waste, were treated with SAE to study the influences on the mechanical properties of the produced papers. SAE copolymers with hard chain (H‐PSA) and soft chain (S‐PSA) were prepared and added to bagasse pulp slurry at concentrations of 1%–4% by weight. The findings indicated that for the soft and hard copolymers, the glass transition temperatures were 19.5 and 26.8°C and their emulsion particle sizes were 166 and 182 nm, respectively. The copolymers strengthened the produced paper by wrapping around and forming a network of chemical and physical bonds with the pulp fibers. Papers treated with 3% H‐PSA exhibited the optimum improvement in tensile strength (38 MPa) and breaking length (67 m) by 13% and 64%, respectively. Treated papers were negatively affected by UV radiation due to phenyl groups spread along the chains. The copolymers demonstrated good wet‐strength properties achieved by self‐ and co‐crosslinked networks. The prepared paper sheets showed a preference for the mechanical properties of treated samples over the untreated ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the implementation of plastic restrictions and the increasingly serious problem of environmental pollution, paper with green and recyclable characteristics is gradually becoming a substitute for packaging materials. However, the rich cellulose structure in the paper, which contains hydroxyl groups leading to its hydrophilicity, allows water molecules to penetrate the paper and disrupt the hydrogen bonds between cellulose, resulting in a decrease in mechanical properties. Therefore, waterproof coatings are crucial for paper‐based materials to be used in many applications. Based on this, the paper surface was chemically modified with castor oil‐based resin (CO‐590) monomer prepared by coupling agent and castor oil (CO). The results indicated that the modified paper with the contact angle (CA) of 114° had excellent waterproof performance and had a reduction by 40.3% in water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), but also its mechanical increased to 26.9 MPa and the decomposition temperature to 410.5°C. In addition, the coating on its surface could be removed in an alkaline solution and had a possibility to recycle blank paper in the future for manufacturing sustainable production. This work not only provides a method for preparing modified packaging paper, but also expands the application fields of materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effect of 1,2,3,4‐butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) crosslinking treatment on the electrical properties of poly‐p‐phenylene terephthalate (PPTA)/cellulose insulation paper to prepare a novel composite insulation paper with low dielectric constant and good electrical performance. Three‐layer PPTA/cellulose composite paper crosslinked by BTCA under various conditions, composite paper without crosslinking, directly mixed composite paper, and conventional Kraft paper are prepared. The morphology and surface chemical composition of the paper samples are characterized. Dielectric, mechanical, and thermal properties are investigated. Results show that the BTCA concentration of 0.2 mol L−1 with a 180°C curing temperature is the relatively superior crosslinking condition to prepare a novel composite with low dielectric constant and good comprehensive performance. The dielectric constant and loss of the novel composite paper decrease to 3.21 and 0.392 at 50 Hz. The tensile strength of the BTCA crosslinked three‐layer PPTA/cellulose composite paper (thickness: 130 μm) has reached 10.01 kN m−1, increased by 41.6% than the directly mixed composite paper. The novel BTCA crosslinked composite paper also shows improved thermal stability. The BTCA crosslinking proves to be a promising method to improve the dielectric properties and electrical performance of the PPTA/cellulose composite paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the further development of the transmission and distribution network, the requirements for the insulating system of power equipment are further deepened. As one of the important factors, insulating paper is of great value to improve its performance. The pure cellulose model and trapezoidal polyphenylsesquisiloxane (T‐PPSQ) composite model are established to analyze the mechanical and thermal properties of insulating paper cellulose. The effects of T‐PPSQ doping at different temperature on properties of cellulose are investigated by comparing the radial distribution function, mechanical parameters, glass transition temperature, mean square displacement (MSD), and free volume fraction (FVF) through molecular dynamics method. The results show that T‐PPSQ can improve the ability of cellulose to resist shear stress at different temperatures, showing good mechanical properties. When the temperature is 423 K, the mechanical performance parameters elastic modulus, bulk modulus and shear modulus can be increased by 47.2%, 18.2%, and 38.56% at most. The glass transition temperature of the insulating paper cellulose with T‐PPSQ increases by 64 K, the MSD and the FVF all decrease at different temperature which demonstrated it has improved thermal stability. The research in this paper is of great significance for improving the life of the insulating system of power equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the heavy‐loading harsh condition, achieving prominent mechanical and tribological performances of paper‐based friction materials are an extreme demand for meeting their application in the braking of vehicles. In this study, modifying carbon fiber with epoxy groups and designing silicone@SiO2 core‐shell structure as efficient and feasible strategies, were employed to boost the mechanical and tribological properties of friction materials. The above core‐shell hybrid, acted as an effective interfacial linker, contributed to forming strong mechanical interlocks and increasing chemical cross‐linking density at the interphase. The tensile and interlaminar shear strength of silicone@SiO2‐modified sample were improved by 28.6% and 12.9%, respectively. Meanwhile, the toughness of silicone@SiO2‐modified sample showed a 102.82% increase. Moreover, compared with pristine sample, the dynamic friction coefficient of silicone@SiO2‐modified sample increased from 0.1020 to 0.1202, while the wear rate decreased from 0.617 × 10−8 cm3 J−1 to 0.432 × 10−8 cm3 J−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The present work aims to study the perspectives of an efficient utilization of waste products as fillers for the thermoplastic polymer. Maleic anhydride grafted linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE -g-MA), without any compatibilizers, has been used as polymer matrix to prepare composites with different contents (0-50 phr) of waste paper powder (WPP). Mechanical properties assessment has shown up to 88% improvement in tensile strength and a huge increment of 409% in Young's modulus for the composites prepared at 30 phr WPP. The reinforcement effect of WPP in the polymer matrix was also assessed by Guth-Gold and modified Guth-Gold equations. Microstructural analysis of the fractured surfaces revealed good interfacial adhesion with fewer voids and fiber pull out up to 30 phr WPP loading. Interfacial interaction between maleic anhydride group of LLDPE -g-MA and OH groups present dominantly in the cellulosic component of WPP was established through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The thermal properties of prepared composites were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45167. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfonated aramid (SA) fiber modified graphene nanoplatelet (GnP) paper was fabricated employing simple vacuum filtration technique. The SA macromolecules were noncovalently attached on the surface of GnP through π2π interactions. Robustness of the film was characterized via dynamic mechanical analysis study. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was employed to investigate the extent of surface . The specific capacitance of 166 F/g was obtained for the sulfonated nanoplatelet composite paper with 97% of specific capacitance retained after 1000 cycles establishing the cyclic stability of the said composite paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The paper industry is closely related to our daily life. Vast quantities of paper requirement worldwide lead to astonishing lumber consumption and environmental pollution. So the exploration of alternative paper-like material should be of great importance. Here, we reported the preparation of a kind of environmentally friendly clay-based polymer composite paper-like film by incorporation of a kind of nanometer sized natural clay crystals, in this case attapulgite (ATP), into degradable poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) only though a simple blending and subsequently casting method. X-ray analysis shows that no changes in the crystalline structure of ATP were observed in the PVA matrix. Even with a high content of clay crystals in composites (50 wt %), the resulting ATP-PVA composite films (named as APCF) show excellent flexibility and tensile strength up to 22.19 MPa. The doping of ATP also results in flame retardant of composites, making it ideal candidate for packing and also building decoration applications. Interestingly, the APCF are printable and also much tough and tensile. Due to the simple fabrication, nearly no pollution emission process and easily to be scaled up, the APCF have great potentials as a kind of alternative for paper materials for diverse applications. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45128. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A series of waterborne polyurethane (WPU) microemulsions were synthesized through self-emulsification methodology, using toluene-2,6-diisocyanate, polytetramethylene glycol (PTMG), poly-caprolactonediol (PCL), and dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA) as monomers; isophorone diamine (IPDA) as chain extender; and aziridine as cross-linking agent. The resultant WPU microemulsions were utilized as surface-sizing agents for cellulose fiber paper. The influences of IPDA content, PTMG/PCL molar ratio, and aziridine content on the physicochemical properties of the resultant emulsions and sized paper have been investigated in detail. The WPU microemulsion displayed better surface sizing properties when it was prepared under the following conditions: the IPDA content of 2.96%, PTMG/PCL molar ratio of 0:4, and aziridine content of 2.0 wt %. The relationships between the WPU structure and properties of WPU films and sized paper were clearly illustrated. The mechanical properties and water resistance of sized paper were not only depended on the interactions, chain entanglements, and cross-linking density among the WPU chains, but also relied on the interactions among polymers and fibers, as well as the polarity and stiffness of surface sizing agent. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43211. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) is a cellulose derivative obtained by the carboxymethylation of some hydroxyl groups in the cellulose macromolecules. In this article, we use CMC as a model compound of cellulose fibers to study polyamineamide epichlorohydrin (PAE)-fibers interactions during the preparation of PAE-based wet strength papers. The main advantages of the use of CMC to replace cellulose fibers are its water-soluble character and the homogeneous reaction medium during mixing with PAE resin. Based on 13C cross-polarization/magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CP/MAS NMR) and Fourier transformed infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, we prove the formation of ester bonds in PAE-CMC films boosted by a thermal posttreatment at 105°C for 24 h. These ester bonds are derived from a thermally induced reaction between carboxyl groups in the CMC structure and azetidinium ions (AZR) in the PAE resin. PAE-based handsheets were prepared from 100% Eucalyptus fibers. After preparation, some samples were thermally posttreated (TP) at 130°C for 10 min and stored under controlled conditions (25°C and 50% relative humidity or RH). For lowest PAE dosage, storage of the not thermally posttreated (NTP) PAE-based handsheets does not allow them to reach the tensile strength values of TP PAE-based handsheets (at 130°C for 10 min), but the difference in terms of breaking length remains low. For the highest PAE addition level, NTP and TP PAE-based handsheets exhibit close values of the breaking length from 30 days of storage under controlled conditions (25°C and 50% RH). When a thermal posttreatment is applied, the wet strength development of PAE-based papers is a combined effect of homo- and co-cross-linking mechanisms. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42144. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the preparation, properties, and characterization of thin films or 'nanopapers' of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were studied. Specifically, a layer-by-layer nanopaper preparation method was used, which significantly improved the mechanical properties of nanopapers. The effect of CNF nanopaper on the cure kinetics of a low temperature epoxy resin was studied. A modified autocatalytic model was used to represent the reaction kinetics. It was found that the presence of CNF nanopaper substantially increased the resin reaction rate and final conversion. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of two amino resins, N-methylol melamine (NMM) and 1,3- dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU), on the intrafiber and interfiber strengths and water absorption of two types of waste paper categories, office paper (OP), and old corrugated containers (OCCs). The tensile strength of individual fibers measured at zero span was reduced by increases in the resin concentrations. The dry tensile strengths of the recovered handsheets measured at a finite span were enhanced with increases in the weight percentage gain of the resins. The increasing of the resin concentration also significantly improved the intrabonding of the OP and OCCs in moist measuring conditions. The water absorption of the handsheets considerably decreased at the higher concentration of the thermosetting resins, especially with NMM. The results are promising for the use of NMM- and DMDHEU-treated recovered fibers as an alternative fiber resource for the production of laminated paper and also for the use of DMDHEU as a new N-methylol compound for laminated paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyether polyols can improve the performance of waterborne epoxy curing agent. In this paper, intermediates were synthesized from polyether triols with epoxy resin E‐51 and introduced into the epoxy curing agent by reacting with TETA. This paper focuses on the process of synthesizing the intermediates. The 2K waterborne epoxy coating film prepared with polyether triols‐modified waterborne epoxy curing agent exhibits desirable corrosion protection capacity and neutral salt spray resistance up to 600 h. In addition, the 2K waterborne epoxy coating film prepared using the modified waterborne epoxy curing agent with polyether triols displayed improved surface appearance, mechanical properties, and water resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulverized coal (coal) possesses a layered structure similar to graphite and is a potential reinforcing filler. In this paper, ball milling is used to reduce the particle diameter of coal. The coal is modified with KH‐560 to obtain K‐COAL and prepared K‐COAL/styrene‐butadiene rubber (SBR) composites. In addition, carbon black (CB) is modified to obtain CB‐Si69, K‐COAL and CB‐Si69 are added to SBR in different ratios to prepare COAL/CB/SBR composites. The results show that the addition of K‐COAL can improve the vulcanization performance, thermal stability, and mechanical properties of SBR composites, but the reinforcing effect is weak. In the COAL/CB/SBR composites, the vulcanization and mechanical properties of the composites gradually increase with the increase of CB, while those of the thermal stability decrease. The tensile strength of the 10 phr COAL/30 phr CB/SBR composite is 24.1 MPa, which is elevated by 1105% and 205% compared with the pure SBR and 40 phr K‐COAL/SBR composites, respectively. The composites maintain high elasticity while the tensile strengths are greatly improved, and the mechanical properties are significantly enhanced. In conclusion, this paper provides a reference for the clean utilization of coal and shows new possibilities for finding new fillers to replace CB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reported a facile and green method for surface functionalization of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) by oxidative polymerization of tannic acid (TA) and ethanediamine. The modified CNF (T‐CNF) was then used as filler for constructing polyvinylalcohol (PVA) composites. Experimental results suggested that the surface polar groups on CNF were increased after modification. The abundant surface polar groups allowed the homogeneous dispersion of T‐CNF in PVA matrix, and the formation of hydrogen bonds between fillers and matrix. This interfacial interaction and the high aspect ratio of T‐CNF have restricted the thermal mobility of polymer chains and increased the glass transition temperature and melting temperature of PVA. Tensile test suggested the good mechanical properties of composites, and the reinforcement effect of T‐CNF on PVA was better than that of un‐modified CNF. The good free radical scavenging ability of polymerized TA also improved the thermal stability of composites and endowed the composites with good antioxidant property. The T‐CNF/PVA composites with improved properties hold great promising applications in fields such as packaging, adhesive and coating. This work is expected to provide alternative and green approach for the surface modification of CNF and the preparation of multifunctional CNF composites with good properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for polymeric materials increases year by year, and most of them are derived from nonrenewable sources, and their consume has been increasing year by year. Therefore, there is a demand for research on bioderived polymers that are viable to be produced on an industrial scale. Based on the lack of polymers produced exclusively using monomers derived from vegetable oils, this paper shows the syntheses of renewable thermosetting polymers derived exclusively from grape seed oil, which is a by‐product from the wine and grape juice industries. After the evaluation of the effect of using or not catalyst, it was determined that increasing 1‐methylimidazole amount in the monomer mixture provides the decreasing of parallel reactions. However, thermal and mechanical properties, as well as the crosslinking density of polymers do not change significantly using 1.0% or 5.0% of catalyst (the minimal amounts needed to favor the esterification). Based on the characterization, the final polymers are not favorable in applications that require high mechanical impacts. However, they would be excellent as coatings due to their elevated crosslinking density, hydrophobic properties and homogenous surface. In addition, based on the properties observed under UV‐light, they can also be used as luminescent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyimide aerogels are often constrained by the poor mechanical performance when used as thermal insulation. In addition, there is requirement for flame retardant performance in the practical use. In this paper, a fiber‐reinforced polyimide aerogel material was prepared by compounding polyisophthaloyl metaphenylene diamine fibers with the aerogel, which present good thermal insulation and excellent mechanical properties, flame retardancy, thermal stability, and certain hydrophobicity, as well as being very lightweight. The compressive strength of the polyimide aerogel was increased from 0.34 to 0.58 MPa by using the fibers as the reinforcing phase; meanwhile, the flame‐retardant property was improved, and the limit oxygen index was increased from 33.8 to 36.5. The composite aerogel material has good potential for application in the fields of thermal insulation, building insulation, aerospace, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rail vehicle air spring bellows consisting of cord rubber composites are subject to a wide variety of stresses. It is therefore crucial to understand the fatigue behavior of such components, as the development process involves the use of empirical methods, which are both time‐consuming and costly. This paper outlines a methodology for assessing the fatigue strength of air spring bellows through representative specimen testing. Ten component tests and a validated numerical model of the air spring bellows are presented. The primary loading scenario investigated in this study is pure pulsating tensile stress with a strain ratio R in the range of 0–0.25. This scenario is considered to be highly damaging, leading to delamination. Comprehensive damage analysis of the specimen is performed using microcomputed tomography. To ensure the transferability of the results, a failure criterion is defined as 20% elongation of the specimen, based on the defined 10% internal pressure drop for the bellow. After statistical evaluation, the transferability of the specimen tests to the component is validated using a local fatigue approach. The correlation coefficient R2 is 0.84, indicating a sound agreement between model and tests with 7 points out of 10 within a scatter factor of 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(1,2,3‐triazolium) (PTAM) is a dynamic reversible crosslinking polymer based on 1,2,3‐triazolium. Structural rearrangement of PTAM can occur through dynamic exchange reactions of 1,2,3‐triazolium. But there are not any applications derived from the dynamic reversible crosslinking properties of 1,2,3‐triazolium. In the paper, to expand the function and application of PTAM, a reprocessable PTAM resin has been prepared and the reprocess ability is studied in detail. PTAM can achieve complete stress relaxation within 2 min at 160°C through the exchange reaction of dynamically reversible crosslinked 1,2,3‐triazolium. Under the condition of 160°C and 10 MPa pressure, PTAM can achieve mechanical properties recovery after 2 h of reprocessing. The recovery rate of tensile strength can reach 94.2%. After four consecutive cycles reprocessing, the recovery rate of tensile strength is maintained at about 90%. And the thermal stability of PTAM is unchanged. PTAM has a possible application in the recycling of thermoset‐based plastics and composites. The result provides a reference for the functional application and development of dynamic reversible crosslinking polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polycaprolactone-polydimethylsiloxane-polycaprolactone (PCL-PDMSPCL) triblock copolymer films of variable PCL chain are analyzed for rheological characteristics in this paper. The dynamics of viscoelastic behavior of photocrosslinked films above their crystal melting temperature (Tcm) is measured using oscillatory shear rheology experiments. The frequency sweep tests are analyzed at 0.1% strain as obtained from linear viscoelastic region. Shear thinning is observed in the study of complex viscosity. It has been noted that viscosity rises with increase in crosslink density and decrease in with PCL chain length. Time-dependent effect on the copolymer films has been analyzed by creep recovery behavior. The Burgers model is fitted in creep compliance data to analyze its viscoelastic and viscous region. An examination of structure recovery revealed that recovery increased as PCL chain length decreased. Tensile strength and percentage elongation are studied at ambient conditions with a universal testing machine, while storage modulus and tan δ are analyzed by a dynamic mechanical analyzer at varying temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the influence of mold temperatures below 60(C on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) properties during injection molding, focusing on phase separation and its impact on mechanical, thermal, and viscoelastic properties. Using a combination of micro-indentation, temperature scanning stress relaxation, and conventional characterization methods, the research highlights how increased mold temperatures promote more distinct phase separation, enhancing mechanical stability and physical properties. The novel use of micro-indentation revealed a gradient in material stiffness from the surface to the core of injection-molded samples, attributed to differential cooling rates and shear forces, which affect phase separation and crystallinity of the hard domains. These insights are critical for applications requiring specific surface properties and underscore the importance of understanding the interplay between chemical composition and processing conditions for optimizing TPU properties. Furthermore, the paper shows that tensile testing, differential scanning calorimetry, and Shore hardness cannot quantify the effects of mold temperatures below 60(C. The research highlights the influence and importance of chemical composition, rheological history, and thermal history on the properties of TPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of strength loss in electrically conductive composites made with dispersed fillers in the polymer binder is solved by spraying an aerosol of graphite on a textile material with a 3D weave of threads, or on knitwear of fibers with various structure and chemical composition. The loose microstructure of cotton fibers and the developed surface of elastic filaments made of synthetic polymers retain colloidal graphite particles in a layered composite during cyclic deformation. The electrical conductivity of knitwear with graphite changes during stretching due to the reversible displacement of graphite particles, first during straightening and then during stretching of elastic threads. The 130 ± 5 strain sensitivity GF and 12,000 ± 95 кPa−1 stress sensitivity QF of the composites presented in this paper exceed the corresponding parameters of known electrically conductive composites. The combination of a significant change in electrical conductivity with the elasticity of the developed knitwear‐based composite is important for the use in load cells, smart clothes, medical devices, and robotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shrinking resources of fossil oil prompt search for other biosphere‐present substrates to obtain polyols, which in turn are basic components to synthesize polyurethane foams (PUF). Widely available examples are biopolymers like starch, cellulose, and chitosan. It has been shown that oligomeric chitosan as well as water soluble chitosan can be applied to obtain polyols and rigid PUF of good performance properties. In this paper, the higher molecular mass chitosans, insoluble in organic solvents and water, were converted to polyols and ultimately into foamed polyurethane plastics. The polyols were characterized by the infrared spectra (IR), 1H‐NMR, and MALDI‐ToF methods. Their properties, such as density, viscosity, surface tension and hydroxyl numbers, were determined. The PUF were obtained from these polyols of various molecular mass. The biodegradable, rigid PUF of enhanced thermal resistance were obtained. Their physical parameters like apparent density, water volume absorption, dimension stability, heat conductance, compressive strength, and heat resistance at 150 and 175°C were studied and compared with those synthesized previously from oligomeric chitosan and water soluble chitosan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to improve the tensile strength and thermal stability performance of selective laser sintered thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer/spherical alumina/graphene oxide/silicon nitride whisker (TPU/Al2O3/GO/Si3N4ws) composites by investigating the synergistic enhancement of fillers with different dimensions, and solving the problem of excessive porosity, material delamination, and low tensile strength during sintering of semi‐crystalline polymer TPU problems. The results show that the synergistic effect of multidimensional fillers leads to the tensile strength of TPU composites up to 12.1 MPa at 8.9 wt% Al2O3, 0.1 wt% GO and 1.0 wt% Si3N4ws hybrid fillers, which is 38.9% higher than that of pure TPU. In addition, the elongation at break of TPU/Al2O3/GO/Si3N4ws composites was maintained at 254%, which still has good toughness. The effect of fillers on the selective laser sintering (SLS) process, thermal stability, melting, and crystallization behaviors of the composites was also investigated in this work. In general, the multidimensional filler compounding synergistically constructing a three‐dimensional network structure has some improvement on the thermomechanical behavior of TPU composites with a fixed mass component addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical, friction and wear properties of different modified polyoxymethylene (POM) are presented in the paper under free abrasive grinding condition. The shore hardness and elastic modulus of the POM matrix increased with carbon fiber (CF) filling, its shore hardness and elastic modulus were 85 HD and 5000 MPa, respectively. The hardness and elastic modulus of the POM matrix decreased with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and graphite (C) filling. The average coefficient of friction of POM was 0.254. When PTFE, CF, and graphite were added, the coefficient of friction of the POM would be reduced under free abrasive condition. The coefficient of friction of POM filled with PTFE or graphite was about 0.15, the coefficient of friction of POM filled with CF was about 0.18. It could be seen from the orthogonal test analysis that the wear resistance of four types of materials was CF‐POM > POM > PTFE‐POM > C‐POM. When the test duration was 1.5 h, the wear amount of C‐POM was between 3 and 9 mg, the wear amount of CF‐POM was less than 1.23 mg. The speed and load were the main factors affecting the wear amount of these materials, followed by the abrasive particle diameter, and the abrasive mass fraction had the least effect on them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel interfacial modifier, namely 2‐hexylthiouronium bromide (HTB), for silica has been synthesized and applied into silica‐filled natural rubber (NR) composites. HTB was synthesized from the reaction of thiourea with hexyl bromide at 65°C. Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) and Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (1HNMR) were used to characterize the chemical structure of HTB. Different loadings of HTB were used to prepare a series of silica‐filled NR composites with the aim of verifying the optimal loading of HTB. The cure characteristics, swelling, mechanical, aging and morphological properties of the resulting composites were studied and compared with the unmodified silica‐filled NR composite. The thermal stability of the composites were also studied by thermogravimetric analysis. By examining the properties of the composites, it was found that the addition of HTB had a significant effect on the properties of the silica‐filled NR composites, resulting in shorter scorch and cure times, as well as better swelling, mechanical, aging, and thermal properties than those of the unmodified composite. Furthermore, it was found that 2.5 phr loading of HTB was preferable to obtain a composite with superior tensile properties as its composite's tensile strength increased by 104% over the unmodified composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High cross‐linking density thermally cured epoxy resin typically results in brittle nature. 3D printing technology of a photocurable resin modified by thermally expandable microspheres is proposed in this paper to overcome these limitations. The addition of appropriate amounts of thermally expandable microspheres into the UV‐cured epoxy resin can improve the tensile strength, bending strength, elongation at break, and impact strength. Therefore, thermally expandable microspheres can strengthen and toughen the epoxy resin. In addition, the effects of different amounts of UV‐cured resins modified with thermally expandable microspheres on various mechanical properties are systematically analyzed. Moreover, the toughening mechanism of thermally expandable microspheres and their influence on thermal performance are also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brittleness of epoxy resin (EP) and the smooth, inert surface of carbon fiber (CF) affects their interfacial interaction, making the composite exhibit poor interlaminar shear properties that significantly limit its practical application. In this paper, a 4,4‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) layer was uniformly coated on short‐cut carbon fiber (SCF) by chemical bonding and physical cladding. The reaction of the isocyanate group of MDI with the active hydrogen in the epoxy system was used to form a strong chemical bond between EP and SCF to enhance the interfacial interaction. Moreover, the introduced SCF as filler can play a better connecting and anchoring role in the CF/EP composite, enabling better stress transfer and enhancing the integrity inside the composite. The coating of MDI on the surface of SCF and the efficient synergistic effect that it brings were successfully demonstrated by Fourier‐transform infrared, thermogravimetric analyzer, dynamic mechanics analyzer, scanning electron microscopy, and interlaminar shear strength characterization. Compared with the untreated SCF reinforced CF/EP composite, MDI@SCF enhanced the interlaminar performance of the material by 10.06%. When the concentration of MDI treatment solution and SCF content was adjusted to the optimal value, the interlayer performance of the material increased by 17.01% compared to the pure CF/EP composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the microcellular foam materials of methyl vinyl phenyl silicone rubber (PVMQ) were prepared by supercritical foaming technology (SFT) and high temperature compression molding. The effect of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) on the vulcanizing properties of PVMQ composite was investigated because vulcanization of microcellular PVMQ foams played an important role on the cellular structure and mechanical properties. It was found that the sulfurization reaction of PVMQ composite was inhibited by scCO2, which led to reduction of apparent activation energy (Ea) of PVMQ composite. Compared with the existing post‐vulcanization process, the introduction of the high temperature molding can effectively improve the degree of vulcanization of microcellular PVMQ foams, which can solve the problem that the cellular structure will be destroyed during the application of external force. What's more, the mechanical properties of microcellular PVMQ foam were obviously improved. The maximum value of tensile strength and the compressive strength of microcellular PVMQ foam with the high temperature molding respectively increase by 34.7% and 133.3% compared with that of microcellular PVMQ foams with existing post‐vulcanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being a relatively new process, additive manufacturing needs many studies to be able to produce parts with the required properties. The aim of the paper is to establish whether, based on the physical and mechanical properties determined by tensile testing and by applying finite element analysis (FEA), viable results can be obtained regarding the behavior of the 3D printed structures at the different, static loading. The application of FEA for the tensile testing of 3D specimens led to the results close to those obtained by the tests. The values of the results obtained by simulation are higher by up to 7.2% compared with those recorded by tests. The simulation was applied both for the printed specimens from a single material and from two materials (multi‐material). Regardless of the materials used in printing and the simulation method, the results of applying FEA are close to those recorded by testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixing is the most important production process in rubber production and processing. Essentially, mixing is the technique of uniformly dispersing fillers and small materials in raw rubber, which directly determines the performance and durability of rubber products. This study focuses on overcoming the limitations of the batch mixing technique by combining the wet mixing and continuous mixing techniques, such that their advantages complement each other. In addition, this paper proposes a full formula wet mixing technique, wherein wet continuous mixing used full formula of carbon black to resolve the issue of carbon black flying, which occurs due to the small size of carbon black particles and causes pollution in the air and harmful effects in humans. Based on experimental datasets, it can be inferred that there is desirable mutual synergy between the full formula wet process and the continuous mixing technique, which can simplify the process of adding small materials during the mixing process and improve the quality of mixed rubber as well as promote continuous rubber production. Furthermore, the basic physical properties such as tensile and tear and dynamic mechanical properties of the produced rubber are significantly improved compared with those of the rubber produced by conventional mixing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) was used as a composite matrix and octadecylamine‐functionalized graphene oxide (GA) was applied as insulation nanofiller to prevent plasticizer migration. To study the anti‐migration behavior of EPDM under plasticizer environment and different temperatures, we investigated the diffusion of dioctyl phthalate (DOP) in EPDM and its composites. The migration kinetics of DOP into EPDM composites with respect to filler and temperature were observed by the immersion absorption method. The process is dynamic and conforms to Fick's law. The composite show a 90% increase in tensile strength and 151% improvement in elongation at break by the addition of 5 phr filler of GA. Meanwhile, the EPDM/GA composite show an obviously improved anti‐migration performance, compared to pure EPDM at different temperatures, the composite show a 22.68%, 17.35%, 14.95%, 7.63% increase. Well layer‐structure of graphene offers a chance to improve the anti‐migration performance of insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing thermosets with inherent recyclability and flame retardancy is a great importance from the views of fire safety, resource conservation and environmental protection. Owing to their superior mechanical properties, versatility, outstanding adhesion‐ability, durability, thermal, and solvent stability comparable to conventional thermosets while demonstrating end‐of‐life reuse, recyclable thermosetting materials have gained much interest as an attractive class of sustainable thermosets. The chemical structure of thermosets includes dynamic covalent networks that provide durability and reprocessability. However, these recyclable thermosets possess significant flammability, limiting their application in automobiles, railways, aircraft, buildings, and electronic items. Thus, it is urgent to include them with flame retardants. The goal of this review paper is to give a broad understanding of the study by highlighting and discussing recent advances as well as future prospects for inherently recyclable flame retardant thermosets (RFRs). Moreover, synthesis methods have been highlighted to improve the design of internally recyclable fire retardant thermosets. A distinct emphasis will be given on the inherent RFRs in terms of flame retardancy, recycling property, physical properties, and thermal stability. Finally, we will explore the importance and threats that intrinsically recyclable flame retardant thermosets face in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poor interfacial interactions and bonding between short carbon fibers (CFs) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) resin matrix is a great challenge to manufacture high‐performance 3D printed CF/PEEK composites. Therefore, this paper presents a research focusing on the compatibility of CFs and PEEK. We propose an effective method to graft polyetherimide (PEI) onto activated CFs, then, composite filaments with modified fiber contents of 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% were prepared using fused filament fabrication (FFF). The chemical structures and surface morphologies of modified CFs were characterized, and the rougher surfaces with more polar groups can enhance the wettability of these CFs, which is improve the physical adhesion with PEEK. The thermal properties and mechanical properties of CF/PEEK composites within different carbon fiber contents were investigated. The results show that the tensile strength, flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of 3D printed 5 wt% PEI@CF/PEEK parts were greatly improved by 40.85% (92.4 MPa), 35.70% (151.3 MPa) and 130.22% (26.59 MPa), respectively, which caused by the improvement of interfacial adhesion between CFs and PEEK resin. The results suggested that this modification is an effective approach to coating PEI on the surface of carbon fiber and enhance the mechanical properties of 3D printed PEEK composites. This method provides new insights for fabricating high‐performance 3D printed thermoplastic composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refrigeration plays an important role in several sectors in 21st‐century life, such as food, air conditioning, healthcare, industry, and energy. In food industry it plays a vital role for reducing the post‐harvest losses and in the preservation of food products. In this paper different amounts of a microencapsulated paraffin having a melting temperature of −10°C were used as phase change material (PCM) for the preparation of multifunctional rigid polyurethane foams (PUF) for refrigeration applications. The processability issues, the microstructural and thermo‐mechanical properties of the resulting panels were comprehensively investigated. Morphological analysis evidenced a tendency of the incorporated PCM to damage the original closed cell structure of the PUF, and a fully open‐cell microstructure was obtained for PCM contents higher than 20 wt%. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) evidenced a proportional correlation between the PCM concentration while the thermal energy storage efficiency of the prepared panels was also confirmed by monitoring the trend of the inner temperature in cubic specimens subjected to programmed heating and cooling ramps. Concerning the mechanical response, flexural tests evidenced that the stiffness of the foams was not substantially influenced by the PCM content, while a heavy drop of the failure properties was detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, from different aspects of internal material composition, biomass modification method and assembly process factor of the biomimetic gelatinous polymer actuator (BGPA), its three process approaches including ionic liquid (IL, [EMIm]BF4) doping amount, sodium alginate (SA) ‐ carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) crosslinking ratio and casting assembly temperature were comprehensively compared, and accordingly their technology efficiency and promotion mechanism on response output performance of the BGPA had also been fully researched. The results suggested that under monotonic work cycle, when the IL doping amount was 4 ml, operating life of BGPA reached the maximum of 1720 s and its smallest tremor amplitude was 8.51%. When the SA‐CMCS crosslinking ratio was 5:5, all three evaluation indexes of the duty cycle, internal resistance and elastic modulus of BGPA achieved the minima around 0.97%, 1.61 Ω and 0.207 MPa, respectively. When the casting assembly temperature was 50°C, specific capacitance and output force density of the BGPA separately obtained the largest values of 551.34 mF/g and 16.249 mN/g. Within the cycle repetition period, the best stable output force of the BGPA was approximately 2.877 mN with 4 ml ionic liquid, and its optimal electron current was 12.771 mA at 50°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epoxy nanocomposite coatings play an important role in the wear protection of steel exposed in harsh service environments. How to improve the mechanical and wear resistance of coatings through filler addition is necessary to meet the industry application requirements. In the present paper, an epoxy‐based nanocomposite coating was developed with addition of titanium dioxide (TiO2), graphite, short carbon fibers (SCFs), and zinc sulfide (ZnS) for enhancement in mechanical, bonding to steel, and tribological performances. The reciprocating friction and wear performances of the coatings were investigated at room temperature and 100°C. The addition of nanometer sized TiO2 and SCFs increased the tensile properties remarkably, while the addition of graphite and ZnS deteriorated the tensile properties. The fillers of graphite and ZnS had no obvious weakening effect on the interfacial shear strength between the coatings and steel, despite the solid lubrication of graphite and weak stiffness of ZnS. Compared with the epoxy sample, the wear rate of the coating filled with optimized filler combination (TTGCS5) was reduced by 19.5 times at room temperature and 25.9 times at 100°C. Addition of ZnS increased the wear resistance more pronounced compared to that of graphite at 100°C, which was attributed to formation of a compact, continuous and stable self‐lubricating transfer film on the coating surface. The optimized content of fillers was established for an epoxy coating to obtain the best friction rates of 0.51 and 0.56 (10−4 mm3/[N·m]) at 25 and 100°C, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(l‐lactic acid) (PLLA) has been widely used in constructing biodegradable braided stents due to high biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, poor mechanical properties of this stent are main weaknesses. In this paper, the mechanical properties of PLLA braided stents containing axial stiffeners were evaluated. The stents with stiffener diameters of 0.11, 0.19 and 0.28 mm are named SS11, SS19 and SS28, respectively, and the stent without stiffener is named SS00 as control. The results show that compared with SS00, the bending stiffness of SS11, SS19 and SS28 is increased by 0.77, 1.76, and 2.70 times, respectively. Meanwhile, chronic outward force at an indicated use diameter of 5 mm is increased by 0.83, 0.50, and 0.21 times, but elastic recovery rate is decreased by 5.6%, 14.6%, 22.5%. In addition, radial stiffness of SS11, SS19, and SS28 are increased by 2.81, 2.08 and 1.62 times, respectively. Therefore, the radial support performance is improved and the bending flexibility is weakened by adding stiffeners. Taken together, SS11 can provide sufficient radial support force and low axial force in clinical applications. This study may provide a reference for optimizing the mechanical properties of the biodegradable braided stents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrothermal aging of a commercial polyimide film, (poly[pyromellitic dianhydride‐co‐4,4′‐oxydianiline]) is investigated, providing further insight into the well‐known loss of properties that can occur for these materials in the presence of moisture. The study involved measuring ATR‐FTIR, ultimate tensile strength, and percent elongation at break, under accelerated hydrothermal aging conditions at three different temperatures (70, 80, and 90°C). ATR‐FTIR data was analyzed using chemometrics in order to identify significant trends that develop upon the accelerated aging conditions. The most dramatic changes were observed for the aging at 90°C. Changes in the ATR‐FTIR spectra for aging at all three temperatures can be attributed to hydrolysis of the imide groups. Ultimate tensile strength was also used to monitor the hydrothermal aging process. This data was used to construct an Arrhenius plot from which an activation energy of 71.8 KJ/mol was determined for the hydrothermal aging process. This value is comparable to that of textiles used in fire protective clothing, suggesting that polyimide is a viable candidate for modeling the degradation of these textiles. This paper also shows the large potential of chemometrics for polymer aging studies as it allows identifying degradation mechanisms from subtle chemical changes in the materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ternary complex system of Portland cement, aluminate cement, gypsum is suitable for the repair and strengthening of concrete structures due to its excellent characteristics, such as fast hardening, early strength, micro‐expansion, and so on. However, the application of this ternary complex was limited by the problems of low toughness and strength degradation in the late curing period. Therefore, it is meaningful to study the effects of different curing conditions on repairing materials in concrete engineering. In this paper, the actual repair environment was simulated, and the effects of different curing temperature and humidity on performances of ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) modified ternary complex were researched. The initial and final setting time of ternary complex increases with the increase of EVA content. And under different curing temperature and humidity, the addition of EVA improved the toughness of the ternary complex and reduced the water absorption, EVA can effectively prevent the late strength decrease of ternary complex caused by high curing temperature. Under the curing conditions of 40 and 60°C, the addition of EVA greatly improved the flexural strength and toughness of the ternary complex, low temperature environment is not suitable for EVA‐modified ternary complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) has become the focus of attention in the green and sustainable materials field because of its superior processability and recyclability. In this paper, a series of polylactic acid (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL)‐based TPUs were successfully prepared by selecting PLA glycol, PCL glycol, isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and 1,4‐butanediol (BDO) through a one‐step polymerization method. The properties of the PLA and PCL‐based TPUs are comprehensively characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H NMR spectra, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, thermalgravimetric analyzer, tensile test, dynamic mechanical analysis, scanning electron microscope, and so forth. The effect of hard segments content and PLA glycol molecular weight on the properties of PLA and PCL‐based TPUs was systematically studied. Notably, their performance shows a certain degree of regularity and can be controlled by adjusting the hard segments content or the molecular weight of the PLA glycol. The prepared PLA and PCL‐based TPUs have a tensile strength of 24.71 MPa, excellent thermal stability and out‐standing damping performance. Its tan δ max of 1.40 and an effective damping temperature range of 50°C also make it a green damping material with great potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the research of blending anti‐aging modification of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) has been widely reported, but the surface effect in the rubber aging process has been obviously ignored. Starting from the surface microstructure design, the construction of surface protection barrier may be a new anti‐aging way. In this paper, the surface superhydrophobic NBRsurf‐polydopamine (PDA)‐(SiO2‐g‐PFOMA) is prepared through a ordered modification of two‐step physical deposition to NBR with PDA and SiO2 grafted with Perfluorooctylmethacrylate (SiO2‐g‐PFOMA). By comparing the mechanical properties before and after aging, it is found that the DA surface pretreatment significantly improves the NBR thermo‐oxidative aging. On this basis, surface superhydrophobic SiO2‐g‐PFOMA microstructure has set up to further prevents NBR from the attack of corrosive media such as acid, alkali, salt and water. After aging in HCl solution at 90°C for 96 h, the fracture strength, elongation and aging coefficient of NBRsurf‐PDA‐(SiO2‐g‐PFOMA) compared with unmodified NBR(KB) were increased by 2.28 MPa, 48.76% and 0.18, respectively. This work can offer an surface anti‐aging technology to NBR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) is increasingly used with cellulosic substrates and especially with paper materials. Its use with cardboard remains not reported and the study of mechanical and barrier properties of MFC-coated cardboard has been investigated in this article. The influence of coating process as well as the effect of MFC have been highlighted by comparing different MFC-coated cardboard samples with PE-coated cardboard samples. MFC was coated using bar coating process. Their distribution and homogeneity onto cardboard was observed using techniques such as SEM and FE-SEM. Tests such as oxygen and air permeability, bending stiffness, and compressive strength have been carried out. The coating process used impacts significantly cardboard properties by two opposite ways: on one hand it damages the structure cohesion of cardboard decreasing its compressive strength; on the other hand it increases its bending stiffness by increasing considerably the samples thickness. The addition of MFC counterbalances the negative effects of the coating process: bending stiffness and compressive strength are indeed improved by 30% in machine direction. On the contrary, MFC does not enhance much cardboard barrier properties, although it considerably increases their water absorption. Within a framework of packaging application, MFC will rather have consequent effects on cardboard's properties as blend or as part of the multilayer structure. Other applications have to be considered for its use as top layer. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40106. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of short carbon fibers (CFs) reinforced rigid polyurethane (RPU) composites is largely restricted by poor interfacial strength and damage‐tolerance. In order to optimize the performance of CFs/RPU composites, we prepared CFs with a new structure starting from the modified CFs morphology. In this paper, a new type of fiber morphology, which was string‐like copper‐plated CFs (string‐like Cu‐CFs) were prepared by the electrodeposition method. The structure of the string copper could increase the contact area of the CFs and the RPU matrix and mechanical interlocking. At the same time, the surface roughness of the CFs could be enhanced, thereby promoting the formation of irregular interfaces. Ordinary CFs composite materials showed the low strength and toughness, due to the more stress concentrations generated around the fiber ends. By adding string‐like Cu‐CFs into the RPU matrix, the pinning effect was achieved due to the special fiber structure, which improved the strength and toughness of the string‐like Cu‐CFs/RPU. Compared with pure RPU, the tensile strength, bending strength, and impact strength of string‐like Cu‐CFs/RPU composites were improved by 15.3, 148.3, and 171.4%, respectively. At the same time, the string‐like Cu‐CFs formed a more continuous conductive network inside the RPU matrix, which significantly improved the electrical conductivity of the composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two‐roll mill was used to make rubber‐rubber blends (RRBs) of natural rubber (70phr) and butadiene rubber (BR) (30phr) with 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50phr of carbon black (CB). All of the blend composition's cure, morphological, and mechanical characteristics were tested and described in the paper. In contrast to neat RRB, time values dropped, and maximum torque increased for CB filled RRBs, according to the rheo‐curve. In contrast to neat RRB, the mechanical properties of CB filled RRBs improved. The "partitioning of CB" within the BR phase in CB filled RRBs is associated to an increase in mechanical properties. The particle size distribution curve for CB filled RRBs obtained using a transmission electron microscope agrees well with their mechanical properties. Readers would benefit from a correlation between "partitioning of CB" driven by "quantitative features" and "mechanical properties" of CB filled RRBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper researches the micro‐failure behaviors of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates with different angle‐ply orientations subjected to tensile load. On the basis of the strain rates of 2.6 × 10−6 s−1 and 2.6 × 10−3 s−1, the significant difference in deformation behaviors of CFRP laminates with different angle‐ply orientations are investigated by using a miniature tensile tester. The scanning electron microscopy images are used to assess fracture damage modes of CFRP laminates, including matrix cracking, delamination, fiber‐matrix debonding, and fiber fracture, determined the "high‐low‐high" trend of the strength of laminates with the increase of ply angle. In order to analyze the crack propagation mechanism of laminates attributed to matrix micro‐crack under uniaxial tensile load, two wide applicable micro‐crack propagation models of laminates are proposed to explain the fracture damage failure behaviors of CFRP laminates with different angle‐ply orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epoxy resin is one of the most important matrix materials in the field of high performance composites. Its mechanical strength, toughness, and thermal stability are very important to the properties of composites. In this paper, the improvement of epoxy resin properties by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is mainly studied. First, aniline trimer (AT) and polyethylene glycol octyl phenyl ether (Triton X‐100) are combined to modify CNTs. Then the dispersed CNTs (treated‐CNTs) are used to prepare bisphenol F epoxy nanocomposites. The dispersion of CNTs and fracture surface of composites are analyzed by SEM and TEM. The combination of AT and Triton X‐100 with CNTs is analyzed by UV–vis and FTIR. The mechanical, thermodynamic, tribological properties, and crosslinking density changes of epoxy composites are evaluated. The results show that AT and Triton X‐100 are successfully bonded to the surface of CNTs. The dispersion effect of treated‐CNTs in the composites is better than that of the original CNTs, which have a better reinforcing and toughening effect on the composites. The introduction of treated‐CNT reduces the crosslinking density and glass transition temperature of the composites, but does not affect the thermal stability of the composites before 300°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]