A morphological study on the migration and selective localization of graphene in the PLA/PMMA blends

Nano-filled polymer blends offer the opportunity to obtain materials with fine-tuned properties. In this work, the dispersion and localization behavior of graphene nanoplate (GNP) and graphene oxide (GO) in solution mixed blends of polylactic acid (PLA) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were investigated. The blends were prepared by using different mixing sequences to investigate the effect of kinetics parameters and surface chemistry of filler as well as thermodynamics affinity on the localization of fillers. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Rheometric Mechanical Spectroscopy (RMS) were employed. In addition, graphene materials were compared by Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy as well as elemental analysis characterization. Results showed that depending on the mixing sequence, the GNPs were localized in the both phases and interface through migration to reach thermodynamics equilibrium. However, GO localization was significantly affected by the mixing sequence due to better interaction with the polymer phases. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43799.