Influence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on creep behavior of adhesively bonded joints subjected to elevated temperatures

Polymeric materials are prone to creep loading. This paper is aimed to study the effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on creep behavior of adhesively bonded joints. Neat and MWCNTs-reinforced adhesively bonded joints were manufactured and tested under creep loading at elevated temperatures. Two MWCNT weight percentages of 0.1 and 0.3 were used for reinforcing the single lap joints (SLJs) and the joints were tested at different temperature and load levels. The results showed that 0.1 wt% of MWCNTs resulted maximum improvements in creep behavior of adhesive joints. Adding 0.1 wt% of MWCNTs into the adhesive layer caused maximum reductions of 57%, 60% and 47% in the steady-state creep rates of the joints tested at 30, 40 and 50°C, respectively. Furthermore, 0.1 wt% of MWCNTs resulted maximum reductions of 29%, 33% and 37% in the creep strains corresponding to a specific creep loading time and maximum reductions of 23%, 45% and 49% in the elastic strains corresponding to the time at which creep loading started.