抄録
In our previous report, we have successfully prepared single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) solids without any additives employing a spark plasma sintering (SPS) method. The effects of preparation conditions on the mechanical properties of the SWCNT solids have been investigated using a small punch (SP) testing method. It was shown from the SP test results that an indentation was formed on the specimen by the spherical puncher used for the load application, and the main fracture initiated and propagated in a cone-shaped region from the edge of the indentation. Therefore, no measurement of the fracture strength has been made on SWCNT solids prepared by the SPS method to date. In this investigation, the three-point bending tests were employed to examine the mechanical properties such as Young's modulus and fracture strength of the SWCNT solids. The compaction pressure used in the SPS method was 120 MPa, and the temperatures were 1000, 1200 and 1400°C, respectively. The mechanical properties have been found to depend on the processing temperature. The binder-free SWCNT solids had Young's modulus and fracture strength of 8.3 GPa and 52.4 MPa, respectively prepared by SPS technique.
