Stress–strain behavior of multi-walled carbon nanotube/PEEK composites

This study examined the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersion on stress–strain behaviors of poly-ether–ether–ketone (PEEK) at room temperature. Tensile test specimens containing 9 wt.% and 15 wt.% of CNT were fabricated using injection molding. Results of focused ion beam (FIB) observations show that many CNTs in the CNT/PEEK composite are aligned longitudinally. Although the PEEK stress–strain behavior is almost linear up to 1.5% strain, the stress–strain curves of CNT/PEEK composites exhibit considerable nonlinear and hysteretic behaviors from extremely low strain (<0.1%) under both tensile and compressive loading. The experimental results suggest that the viscoelastic deformation effects on nonlinear and hysteresis behaviors are not strong below 1.5% strain. Presumably, the slippage at the CNT–PEEK interface occurs with increasing applied stress because of poor interfacial load-transfer capability.