Journal
POLYMER
Volume 55, Issue 1, Pages 201-210Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2013.11.032
Keywords
Graphene; Elastomer; Nanocomposites
Categories
Funding
- UniSA
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [51320105012]
- National Basic Research Program (973 Program) of China [2011 CB932603]
- ARC-DECRA
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The greatest challenge in developing polymer/graphene nanocomposites is to prevent graphene layers stacking; in this respect, we found effective solution-mixing polymers with cost-effective graphene of hydrophobic surface. Since graphene oxide is hydrophilic and in need of reduction, highly conducing graphene platelets (GnPs) of similar to 3 nm in thickness were selected to solution-mix with a commonly used elastomer - styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). A percolation threshold of electrical conductivity was observed at 5.3 vol% of GnPs, and the SBR thermal conductivity enhanced three times at 24 vol%. Tensile strength, Young's modulus and tear strength were improved by 413%, 782% and 709%, respectively, at 16.7 vol%. Payne effect, an important design criteria for elastomers used in dynamic loading environment, was also investigated. The comparison of solution mixing with melt compounding, where the same starting materials were used, demonstrated that solution mixing is more effective in promoting the reinforcing effect of GnPs, since it provides more interlayer spacing for elastomer molecules intercalating and retains the high aspect ratio of GnPs leading to filler-filler network at a low volume fraction. We also compared the reinforcing effect of GnPs with those of carbon black and carbon nanotubes. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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