| Previous study and work show the effects of high magnetic fields (larger than one Tesla) on the orientation and alignment of carbon nanofibers and carbon nanotubes. This thesis investigates the effects of low, uniform, DC magnetic fields on the orientation of carbon nanofibers in polyester-based composites. Magnetic fields are applied during the hardening stage of the polyester. The mechanical hardness of these composites, which is not widely investigated, is studied as part of classifying the effects of the low magnetic fields. The mechanical hardness is modeled by novel modification of two specific forms of the Effective Medium Theory (EMT). Mechanical data observed in zero-magnetic field is in reasonable agreement with this model. The application of a magnetic field during curing influence the mechanical hardness in a manner not initially anticipated. |
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