Aramid Fabric and Thermoplastic Polyurethane Composites Reinforced With Carbon Nanotubes for Superior Mechanical Performances

ABSTRACT This study investigates the role of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as fillers in aramid fabric/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites, emphasizing their impact on the mechanical performance of hybrid polymer composites. The findings reveal significant enhancements in both dynamic and static mechanical properties. Notably, the TPU/Aramid composite, reinforced with 3 parts per hundred ratios (phr) MWCNTs, demonstrated a 67.15% enhancement in tensile strength and a 65.7% improvement in Young's modulus compared to pure TPU. Puncture testing results confirmed 3 phr MWCNTs/TPU/Aramid composite's (KTPU3) superior load‐bearing capacity. The experimental results were also validated through Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations, which closely matched the experimental findings for the optimized composite samples KTPU3. At the same time, dynamic mechanical analysis revealed an 84.46% increase in storage modulus, underscoring the effectiveness of the CNTs bridging network in enhancing mechanical behavior and interfacial interactions. These results position MWCNTs/TPU/Aramid composites as excellent candidates for high‐performance mechanical applications, offering an additional advantage of flexibility, using polyurethane as a polymer matrix instead of epoxy matrix.