S. Vishnu Sharma
IIT Madras Researchers work in the field of carbon nanotube composites have yielded promising results that can contribute greatly in reducing the vibration during car rides.
Polymer composites namely materials formed by combining polymers with various additives – have been used for a long time in recorded history for various purposes.
IIT Madras researchers 2020
Many polymers, loaded with various types of reinforcing fillers, are the mainstay of daily use articles, from automobile parts to construction components.
IIT Madras researchers Professor Prathap Haridoss, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IIT Madras, along with his co-scientists and research students at the institute are working towards developing and testing interesting polymer composites.
The results of the work of these IIT Madras researchers have been published recently in the reputed peer-reviewed international journal Nanoscale Advances.
The paper was co-authored by Dr. Anand Joy, Dr. Susy Varughese, Dr. Anand K. Kanjarla, Dr. S. Sankaran and Prof. Prathap Haridoss.
The work of IIT Madras researchers will lead to better understanding of the mechanisms of vibration damping in these types of polymers, which would, in turn lead to designs of better vibration dampers in automobiles.
Professor Prathap Haridoss speaking about this work done by IIT Madras researchers said outstanding properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) – nanometre-sized molecules made of rolled-up sheets of carbon atoms – can tremendously improve mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of polymers.
Of the numerous attractive properties of CNT-polymer composites, their vibration damping properties make them useful in aerospace, automobile and construction industries, he said.
His latest research on carbon nanotube-reinforced epoxy polymers has shown that these types of composites have excellent vibration damping characteristics, the nature of which, depends on the structure and morphology of the reinforcing nanotubes.
IIT Madras researchers work with a special class of composites called polymer nanocomposites.
The discovery that nanoparticles – particles a hundred thousand times smaller than the thickness of a sheet of paper – can afford extraordinary properties to polymers, is the basis of such composites.
Carbon nanotube-reinforced polymers combine the viscoelastic properties of the polymer with the interfacial properties of the CNT, resulting in enhanced vibration damping.
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Thus, CNT loaded polymers can conceivably give you a smoother ride on your car. The team of IIT Madras researchers decided to find out why, explained Prof. Haridoss, who works with polymers that have been loaded with Multiwalled CNTs (MWCNT).
The team of IIT Madras researchers used MWCNTs synthesized by different techniques and loaded them into Epoxy polymers.
MWCT’s are made of concentric tubes of carbon, and the slide between the layers are believed to damp vibrations.
Naturally, the efficacy of damping would depend on the nature of the MWCNTs. For example, MWCNTs prepared by a process called Plasma Arc discharge Method, are straight and long, while those prepared by Chemical Vapour Deposition are coiled.
As can be imagined, the straight long nanotubes would have better layer slide between walls, and thus better vibration damping effects than the coiled nanotubes.
This was exactly what IIT Madras researchers observed in their work.
Prof. Haridoss added in order to visualize the damping effects of the two types of MWCNTs, the IIT Madras researchers performed computational simulation studies.
‘Our simulation studies have shown beyond doubt that the vibration damping properties in MWCNTs arise from interaction between atoms that constitute the inner and outer tubes rather than the inter-tube frictional energy loss.’
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) was established in 1959 by the Government of India as an ‘Institute of National Importance.’
The activities of the Institute in various fields of Science and Technology are carried out in 16 academic departments and several advanced interdisciplinary research academic centres.
The Institute offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes leading to B.Tech., M.Sc., M.B.A., M.Tech., M.S., and Ph.D., degrees in a variety of specialisations.
IITM is a residential institute with more than 580 faculty and 9,500 students. Students from 18 countries are enrolled here. IITM fosters an active entrepreneurial culture with strong curricular support and through the IITM Incubation Cell.
IITM has been ranked No.1 in the ‘Overall’Category for the second consecutive year in India Ranking 2020released by National Institutional Ranking Framework, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India.
The Institute has also been ranked No.1 in the Engineering Institutions category in the same Rankings for five consecutive years – 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
It was also adjudged as the ‘Top innovative Institution’ in the country in the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2019 launched by Innovation Cell of MHRD.
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