Polymer Composites are on Every Corner of Our Daily Life
29 March 2021
Composites of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in polymeric materials have attracted considerable attention in the research and industrial communities due to their unique optical, mechanical, and electrical properties. CNT polymer nanocomposites, which possess high stiffness, high strength, and good electrical conductivity at relatively low concentrations of CNT filler have become the focus of an important study.
Emeritus Professor M. Önder Pekcan from Kadir Has University Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülşen Akın Evingür from Piri Reis University Industrial Engineering Department has co-authored a book chapter titled “Optical, Mechanical, and Electrical Properties of Polymer Composites Doped by Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes” for the book named Carbon Nanotubes – Current Progress of their Polymer Composites.
The book chapter has been downloaded more than 1600 times from IntechOpen, one of the world’s leading publishers of open access books, whose readership spans scientists, researchers, students, and librarians as well as business professionals.
Upon the interest of the book chapter, we asked a few questions to Prof. Pekcan.
What are the uses of polymer composites in our daily life?
The use of polymer composites in our daily lives, most generally, covers the pharmaceutical, medical, agricultural, food and drink, electronics, paint, automotive and cosmetic industries. These composites can be produced from polymer-polymer, polymer-metal oxide, or polymer-carbon-based materials. They are used, for example, in medicine; the construction of teeth, artificial organs, artificial aortic, toothpaste, pharmaceutical capsules, in electronics; all kinds of creams in cosmetics, sensor construction, in construction of airplanes and automobiles, or hydroponic agriculture areas, etc.
Sustainability is important in all areas of technology and industry these days. Polymer composites also come to the fore in this respect…
The importance of polymer composites in terms of sustainability can be immediately understood when looking at the above areas of use. In the food and drink industry, the use of biological polymer composites is very important, the use of seaweed polymers as filler in many foodstuffs is another important example. The importance of sensor technology is known, especially the use of nanocomposites in this field makes a difference in terms of sustainability. Besides, most of the materials used in robotic applications and 3D-printing in medicine are polymer composites. The role of them should be mentioned in the great progress made by these sectors where sustainability is very important.
In your book chapter, you cover the optical, mechanical, and electrical properties of polymer composites with multi-wall carbon nanotube additives. What striking properties can we list of these composites?
Carbon nanotubes, along with other carbon materials such as carbon fibers and graphene, have come to very important places in terms of both electrical conductivity and physical durability. Carbon nanotube-doped polymer composites have replaced other traditional semiconductors as semiconductor materials, especially in the electronics industry. They have become the choice of this sector in sensor construction in terms of being both lightweight and durable. Of course, like any semiconductor material, they also took on the role of solar collector and made significant contributions to space technology.
What factors do you attribute to the careful review of your article by more than 1600 researchers from different countries such as the USA, China, Germany, India, and Russia?
The popularity of this book section can be attributed to its interdisciplinary coverage. So, I think this article has attracted the attention of physicists, chemists, mechanical and electronic engineers, mechatronics specialists, and even medical professionals. As I mentioned above, polymer composites attract the attention of pure scientists and applied scientists in many fields, and that’s why the book chapter has been downloaded more than 1600 times.
View the book chapter:
“Optical, Mechanical, and Electrical Properties of Polymer Composites Doped by Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes” by Gülşen Akın Evingür and M. Önder Pekcan
View the book:
Carbon Nanotubes – Current Progress of their Polymer Composites, edited by Mohamed Berber
https://www.intechopen.com/books/carbon-nanotubes-current-progress-of-their-polymer-composites