Surface modification of carbon nanotubes for high-performance polymer composites

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are increasingly attracting scientific and industrial interest because of their outstanding characteristics, such as high Young’s modulus and tensile strength, low density, and excellent electrical and thermal properties, which make them ideal fillers for polymer composites. The incorporation of CNTs into polymer matrices greatly improves the electrical, therma and mechanical properties of the materials. Surface modification of CNTs can be carried out in order to improve their processibility and dispersion within the composites. Homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in a polymer matrix plays a crucial role in the preparation of polymer composites based on interfacial interactions between CNTs and the polymer matrix. This chapter aims to review the surface modification of CNTs, the processing technology, and improvement of properties of CNT-reinforced polymer composites.