Thermal Properties and Barrier Performance of Antibacterial High-Density Polyethylene Reinforced with Carboxyl Graphene-Grafted Modified High-Density Polyethylene

In this study, carboxyl graphene-grafted modified high-density polyethylene (CG-g-MHDPE), a new nano-material prepared from grafting MHDPE with CG, was combined with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) through melt-mixing to prepare HDPE/CG-g-MHDPE nanocomposites (with different proportions of HDPE and CG-g-MHDPE). It is hoped that the new nano-material could reduce the occurrence of graphene agglomeration in nonpolar substrates. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed that CG-g-MHDPE was successfully synthesized. The results from microscopic characterization, mechanical performance test, thermal analysis, and barrier-property evaluation indicated that the mechanical properties, crystallinity, thermal properties, and barrier properties of HDPE/CG-g-MHDPE nanocomposites with a low content of CG-g-MHDPE (4 and 8%) were greatly improved compared with those of pure HDPE, and the compatibility between graphene and HDPE was effectively enhanced. With increasing added amount of CG-g-MHDPE, the overall performance of the nanocomposites decreased significantly. Adding 8% CG-g-MHDPE led to the production of a nanocomposite with the best performance. Reinforced HDPE nanocomposites with better performance would have a wider range of applications.

Automated summary

The study prepared HDPE/CG-g-MHDPE nanocomposites by combining high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with carboxyl graphene-grafted modified high-density polyethylene (CG-g-MHDPE), and found that a low content of CG-g-MHDPE significantly improved the mechanical properties, crystallinity, thermal properties, and barrier properties of the nanocomposites, enhancing the compatibility between graphene and HDPE. However, the overall performance of the nanocomposites decreased with increasing added amount of CG-g-MHDPE.