As a part of my presentation for the academics.

1. APPLICATION OF CNT IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
-BALAJI M P
16G019
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,
MADURAI

2. WHAT IS CNT?
 Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are allotropes of carbon with
a cylindrical nanostructure.
 These cylindrical carbon molecules have unusual properties, which are
valuable for nanotechnology, electronics, optics and other fields of materials
science and technology.

3. MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
 Carbon Nano Tubes (CNTs) have excellent electrical and mechanical
properties. Their Young’s modulus is about 1 TPa, and the tensile strength
reaches about 11-63 GPa. These extraordinary properties make them very
attractive for advanced mechanical applications.

4. EFFECT OF CNTs
 CNT powders mixed with polymers or precursor resins increases stiffness,
strength, and toughness .
 Adding ~1 wt % MWNT to epoxy resin enhances stiffness and fracture
toughness by 6 and 23%, respectively, without compromising other mechanical
properties.
 These enhancements depend on CNT diameter, aspect ratio, alignment,
dispersion, and interfacial interaction with the matrix.

5. Example:
 Improvement Of Interfacial Interaction And Mechanical Properties In Copper
Matrix Composites Reinforced With Copper Coated Carbon Nano Tubes.
 A research conducted in School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing
Institute of Technology, Beijing , PR China

6. SEM micrograph of the pristine CNTs.

7. SEM micrograph of activated CNTs

8. SEM picture of copper coated CNTs.

9. TEM picture of copper coated CNTs

10.  Results have shown that the yield strength of the composite has increased to
𝜎𝑐 = (𝑣𝑓
𝜆
4
+ 1)𝜎 𝑚
where
𝜎𝑐=yield strength of CNT/Cu composite
𝜎 𝑚=yield strength of Cu
𝑣 𝑓 = 𝐴𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑁𝑇
𝜆=volume content of CNT

11. APPLICATIONS

12. NANO ELECTRO-MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
 At microscopic scale, Carbon Nano Tubes have promised bright future for Nano Electro
Mechanical Systems (NEMS) through the successful demonstrations on high frequency
oscillators, rotational actuators, nanometre tweezers and nanometre cargoes .
 These NEMS devices possess unique motion capabilities that are useful for a range of
sensing and detection applications.
 The ultraminiature sensors could provide spatial resolution at the atomic scale and
vibrate at frequencies in the gigahertz range, making them possible to measure the forces
between individual biomolecules, forces arising from magnetic resonance of single spin,
and perturbations that arise from mass fluctuations involving single atoms and molecules.

13. CNT ACTUATORS
 At macro scale level, great progresses have been made in carbon nano tube
actuations by coupling CNT’s excellent mechanical properties and electrical properties.
 Large strain and high stress actuators have been studied based upon CNT electrostatic
actuation, CNT electrochemical actuation, and CNT-polymer actuation.
 Although practical actuators are still under developing, the success of direct
conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy from these actuations offers
the opportunities for a number of high technology applications, including humanoid
robots, artificial and damaged hearts, artificial limbs, medical prosthetic devices, bird-
or insect-like air vehicles, etc.

14. DESALINATION AND FILTRATION
 Because of its huge surface area of up 1000 m2 /g, size, and adsorption
properties, carbon nanotubes are ideal for filtration of dissolved salts, toxic
chemicals, and biological contaminants from water.
 Using carbon nano tube-based membranes, salt and other ionic compounds
can be filtered out of seawater or brackish water .
 All these can be achieved by spending substantially less energy than is needed
to achieve similar results using conventional polymer-based membranes.

15. REINFORCEMENT OF TURBINE BLADES
 The main challenges for marine current turbines include high bending forces,
cavitation, dynamic effects, high flow velocity fluctuation resulting from
waves and turbulence, higher thrust and higher operational torque that
impose larger load to the gearbox.
 The body of marine current turbine should be designed with sufficient
strength to survive in the ocean. Carbon nanotubes can be used as reinforcing
agents to improve the strength of marine current turbines.

16. COATING
 Monitoring and maintenance work for marine current turbines is a major
challenge as the device is submerged in the ocean.
 One of the challenges is the attachment of marine microorganisms on the
body of marine current turbines.
 The formation of the micro-organisms is known as the bio-fouling. Bio-fouling
incurs adverse effects on marine current turbines. Fouling on the surface of
the blade can cause deterioration on the blade and leads to failure of the
blade.
 Incorporation of CNTs in anticorrosion coatings for metals can enhance
coating stiffness and strength.

17. FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENTS:
 The automotive industry has been setting higher safety and environmental
standards.
 In fuel lines, the substitution of plastics parts for metal has introduced a risk
of explosion in fuel systems because of electrostatic discharge (ESD).
 ESD phenomena can arise during the flowing of fuel in the fuel delivery
system to the engine.
 To prevent ESD in fuel lines, engineers are using Nanocyl Carbon Nanotubes
in fuel pumps, fuel filter housings, fuel line connectors, fuel line clips, fuel
reservoirs, fuel filler pockets and related electronic housings.

19. REFERENCES
• Improvement of interfacial interaction and mechanical properties in copper
matrix composites reinforced with copper coated carbon nanotubes
Hu Wanga, Zhao-Hui Zhanga, Zheng-Yang Hua, Qi Songa, Shi-Pan Yina, Zhe Kangc,
Sheng-Lin Lia- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921509318300054
• Carbon Nanotubes: Present and Future
Commercial Applications
Michael F. L. De Volder,1,2,3* Sameh H. Tawfick,4,5 Ray H. Baughman,6 A. John Hart -
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/339/6119/535
• APPLICATION OF NANOFIBER TECHNOLOGY
TO NONWOVEN THERMAL INSULATION
Phil Gibson and Calvin Lee-
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9faa/06a805ca698c20ba0d83de75ffe1752d664b.pdf
• Carbon nanotubes – Production and industrial applications
Melissa Paradise , Tarun Goswami-
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261306906000914

20. THANK YOU