Carbon nanomaterial/thermoplastic polyurethane composites for sports application: preparation, characterization and simulation

Carbon nanomaterials have been widely studied in various fields since their discovery. Their ultrahigh surface-to-volume ratios, low density, as well as outstanding thermal and mechanical properties, make them excellent candidates as nanofillers for high-performance and light-weight polymer composites. The major objectives of this project include two aspects: i) preparation of polyurethane (PU)-based composites reinforced by chemically functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene oxide (GO), respectively, with improved mechanical properties and thermal stability; ii) conducting the finite-element analysis (FEA) with Abaqus/Standard to study the mechanical performance of PU and the GO/PU composite under conditions of large-deflection bending typical for shoe soles. [Continues.]