Fatigue failure and electrical resistance behaviors of carbon nanotube-based polymer composites under uniaxial tension-tension loading in a cryogenic environment

This paper investigates the fatigue failure and electrical resistance behaviors of carbon nanotube-based polymer composites at cryogenic temperatures. Tension-tension fatigue tests were performed on carbon nanotube /polycarbonate composites at room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K), and the electrical resistance of the specimens was monitored during the tests. Based on the obtained results, the dependence of the mechanical and electrical responses of the nanocomposites on the temperature and the nanotube content was studied. Microscopic examinations were also carried out on the specimen fracture surfaces, and the failure mechanisms of the nanocomposites were discussed.