Comparison of two models of SWCN polymer composites

Two approaches for predicting elastic properties of SWCN/polymer composites, equivalent-continuum modeling and the self-similar approach, are presented and compared in terms of assumptions and ranges of validity. Both models incorporate information about molecular interactions at the nanometer length scale into a continuum-mechanics based model. It is shown that the two approaches can predict elastic properties of SWCN/polymer composites in a combined range spanning dilute to hyper-concentrated SWCN volume fractions. In addition, the predicted Youngʹs moduli for a SWCN/polymer composite determined using both approaches are shown to be consistent.