Thermal behavior of carbon nanotubes in alumina matrix nanocomposites

Abstract

Thermal behavior and microstructural characterization of the CNTs/Al 2O3 nanocomposites with different relative densities were studied by TGA and SEM. The onset temperature for weight loss corresponded to a decomposition of CNTs in TGA increased with an increase of relative density. The activation energy for CNTs decomposition obtained by the Kissinger method increased with increasing relative density. The difference in thermal behavior was explained by the porosity effect on the oxidation and decomposition of CNTs.