Simultaneous reduction and surface functionalization of graphene oxide with wrinkled structure by diethylenetriamine (DETA) and their reinforcing effects in the flexible poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate) (P2EHA) films

NH2-reduced graphene oxide (NH2-rGO)/waterborne poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate) (P2EHA) composites were prepared through an easy, all aqueous, electrostatic self-assembly method. GO was functionalized and reduced by diethylenetriamine (DETA) to achieve highly stable P2EHA/NH2-rGO composite colloid dispersions system, leading to the formation of composites with a self-aligned layered structure and highly anisotropic properties between the direction of alignment and that perpendicular to it. The NH2-rGO went through the structural transformation resulting in wrinkled graphene structures with many open-edge sites when N was doped into rGO sheet. The using of DETA resulted in the electrostatic interaction between the P2EHA latex and NH2-rGO and the highly aligned, ultralarged NH2-rGO sheets with surface wrinkles gave rise to the improved mechanical, electrical and thermal properties of the composites. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.