Determination of mechanical properties of phenolic foams (PF) rei̇nforced with multi-walled carbon nanotube (mwcnt) and carbon nano wall (CNW)

In this study, the aimed to develop an insulation material in composite structure by modifying phenolic foams, which are used for insulation purposes in the construction industry, but are limited due to their weak mechanical properties, by modifying them with different additives.In this direction, the effects of additives on physical strength were investigated in composite phenolic foams prepared by using mixtures of carbon nano-wall and multi-walled carbon nanotube in different proportions in order to increase physical strength. Although the main materials used in the study are phenol-formaldehyde, phenol sulfonic acid, n-pentane, n-hexane as catalyst, curing agent, blowing agent and surfactant respectively, in the formation of phenolic foam and Castor oil were used. In the production of phenolic foam, carbon nano-wall and multi-walled carbon nano tube were used as reinforcing additives, and the process difference was examined by adding the doping resin to the resin during and after the synthesis. In this study, carbon nano wall (CNW) was used for the first time in PF production to increase physical strength. The surface morphology of the developed composite product was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and it was observed that closed porous structures with cell wall thickness of 47.38 µm in open-pore structures were predominant and the additives were homogeneously distributed. In addition, when compared with carbon-nano wall and multi walled carbon nanotube with doped phenolic foam and none doped phenolic foam 's strenght specifications, it was observed that the compression-tensile value of the doped phenolic foam (PF) increased. It is prepared by mixing phenolic resin and polyether polyol acid catalyzed environment in foam production. As a result of the studies, in the experiments prepared using carbonanotube and carbon nanotube / nanowire mixtures, phenolic foam and carbon nano wall modified phenolic resin, increases of 250-350% of the physical strength were determined. Finaly, in surface characterization studies performed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), it was observed that the cell inner and outer wall thicknesses increased by 30-40%, respectively.