Preparation of epoxy nanocomposites containing well-exfoliated graphene nanoplatelets Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • 2017 Elsevier Ltd To take full advantage of the potential of graphene nanosheets as reinforcing agents for polymer nanocomposites, good exfoliation, homogenous dispersion, and strong affinity of graphene nanosheets in a polymer matrix are needed. In this research, homogeneous dispersion of graphene nanosheets in epoxy is achieved via chemical functionalization of graphene oxide with 4-nitrobenzenediazonium salt. Optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy demonstrate that graphene nanosheets are well-exfoliated in organic solvents and in epoxy. While only a marginal increase in Young's modulus is observed, significant improvements in tensile strength (>30%) and elongation at break (>50%) for epoxy nanocomposites with a graphene concentration of 0.8wt.% are achieved. The thermal conductivity of an epoxy nanocomposite with modified graphene nanosheets at 5wt.% increases to 0.56W/mK, approximately 2.5 times that of the neat epoxy. The possible mechanisms that account for the observed improvements in tensile properties and thermal conductivity are discussed.

published proceedings

  • ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

author list (cited authors)

  • Yao, H., Moghbelli, E., Li, P., Hawkins, S. A., & Sue, H.

citation count

  • 106

complete list of authors

  • Yao, Haiqing||Moghbelli, Ehsan||Li, Peng||Hawkins, Spencer A||Sue, Hung-Jue

publication date

  • January 2013