Br treated graphite nanoplatelets for improved electrical conductivity of polymer composites

The graphite nanoplatelets (GNP) were treated by vapor-phase bromination. The increase in weight and atomic concentration of Br indicated the bromine uptake. The intercalation of Br between graphene layers of GNP was confirmed by the X-ray diffraction result, showing an increase in the interlayer spacing from 3.342 angstrom to 3.361 angstrom. Two types of bonds between C and Br were introduced simultaneously, ionic and covalent bonds, both of them increased with bromination duration. The fraction of ionic bond reached the highest value by 3 h Br exposure, which corresponded to the highest electrical conductivity of GNP. Although the bromination treatment did not change the percolation threshold of composites, it increased the absolute value of electrical conductivity of composites when the filler content was higher than the percolation threshold. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.