본문 바로가기
  • Home

Real-time cure monitoring via carbon nanotube networks enables mechanical property optimization in post-cured epoxy resins

  • Carbon Letters
  • Abbr : Carbon Lett.
  • 2025, 35(5), pp.2349~2363
  • DOI : 10.1007/s42823-025-00929-z
  • Publisher : Korean Carbon Society
  • Research Area : Natural Science > Natural Science General > Other Natural Sciences General
  • Received : February 28, 2025
  • Accepted : May 16, 2025
  • Published : December 11, 2025

Jafarypouria M. 1 Mahato B. 1 Abaimov S. G. 1

1Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This research presents a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-enabled real-time monitoring system to optimize post-curing conditions (temperature and duration) for epoxy resin. This method can serve as an alternative to traditional methods like Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), which is effective in measuring the degree of cure in polymers during industrial curing (manufacturer-recommended cure cycle). Two different programs using SWCNTs were employed to design the cure cycles for investigating the development of mechanical properties: Program A as the comparison of effects of varied duration of high-temperature curing and Program B as high-temperature curing followed by the varied duration of low-temperature post-curing. By correlating variation in the electrical resistance of SWCNT with curing stages, we illustrate that extending post-curing at 100 °C for 24 h after an initial 3-h cure at 130 °C increases (i) tensile strength by 60% and ultimate tensile elongation by 101% and (ii) shear strength by 14% and ultimate shear elongation by 16% compared to industry standards. This approach not only improves mechanical performance but also enables precise, non-destructive cure-state detection, offering a scalable solution for high-performance composites in the aerospace and automotive sectors.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2024 are currently being built.