A simple route to enhance the interface between graphite oxide nanoplatelets and a semi-crystalline polymer for stress transfer

This report shows that thermal treatment is a simple and effective approach to create a polymer crystalline layer on the surface of graphite oxide nanoplatelets (GONPs) in polycaprolactone (PCL) melts. It was found that the crystallization temperature of the PCL increased significantly by nearly 9 degrees C with the incorporation of 2 wt% GONPs. As the composite melts isothermally crystallized at the temperature that was 14 degrees C higher than the crystallization temperature, the polymer crystalline layer was optimized on the surface of the GONPs. At 2 wt% GONPs, the Young's modulus of the composite was nearly 1.5 times greater than for the pure PCL. In comparison with untreated composites, the improvement in the Young's modulus of treated composites nearly doubled. It confirmed that a non-covalent interface for stress transfer can be enhanced by the formation of the polymer crystalline layer bridging the GONPs and the polymer matrix.