Advances in Graphene-Based Nanocomposites

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 8766

Special Issue Editors

Department of Mechancial and Aerospace Enigneering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hongkong 999077, China
Interests: 2D materials for nanocomposites; 3D graphene/polymer composites; thermal transport in graphene; graphene oxide; molecular dynamics and molecular mechanics simulation
School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
Interests: new carbon materials; transparent conductors; multifunctional sensors; surfaces and interfaces of materials; nanocomposites reinforced with nanofillers; molecular simulations

Special Issue Information

Graphene is a two-dimensional (2D) nanofiller which has been considered as an ideal candidate for nanocomposite applications because of its immense surface area and intriguing mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. To best utilize the excellent properties of graphene, significant progress has been made in the field of graphene-based polymer nanocomposites both in the fundamental understanding of structure–property relationships and the development of advanced manufacturing techniques to realize controllable assembly of graphene in various matrix materials. These advances enable practical applications of graphene-based nanocomposites in various emerging fields, such as wearable sensors, electrically and thermally conductive materials, nanofiltration membranes, electromagnetic interference shielding and energy storage materials.

This Special Issue invites both original research articles and critical reviews on the most recent progress in graphene-based nanocomposites. Potential topics include:

  • Rational synthesis techniques of graphene and graphene-based nanocomposites;
  • Mechanical and multifunctional properties;
  • Experimental characterization techniques for understanding the structure-property relationships at different length scales;
  • Simulation and modelling;
  • Nanocomposites containing hybrid/other 2D nanofillers;
  • Emerging applications in wearable electronics, energy storage devices and environment remediation.

Prof. Dr. Xi Shen
Dr. Qingbin Zheng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • graphene
  • nanocomposites
  • synthesis
  • mechanical properties
  • multifunctional applications
  • 2D nanofillers

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3466 KiB  
Article
Layered Clay–Graphene Oxide Nanohybrids for the Reinforcement and Fire-Retardant Properties of Polyurea Matrix
by Mădălina Ioana Necolau, Celina Maria Damian, Radu Claudiu Fierăscu, Anita-Laura Chiriac, George Mihail Vlăsceanu, Eugeniu Vasile and Horia Iovu
Polymers 2022, 14(1), 66; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14010066 - 24 Dec 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2547
Abstract
Nanostructures are more and more evolved through extensive research on their functionalities; thus, the aim of this study was to obtain layered clay–graphene oxide nanohybrids with application as reinforcing agents in polyurea nanocomposites with enhanced thermal–mechanical and fire-retardant properties. Montmorillonite (MMT) was combined [...] Read more.
Nanostructures are more and more evolved through extensive research on their functionalities; thus, the aim of this study was to obtain layered clay–graphene oxide nanohybrids with application as reinforcing agents in polyurea nanocomposites with enhanced thermal–mechanical and fire-retardant properties. Montmorillonite (MMT) was combined with graphene oxide (GO) and amine functionalized graphene oxide (GOD) through a new cation exchange method; the complex nanostructures were analyzed through FTIR and XPS to assess ionic interactions between clay layers and GO sheets by C1s deconvolution and specific C sp3, respective/ly, C-O secondary peaks appearance. The thermal decomposition of nanohybrids showed a great influence of MMT layers in TGA, while the XRD patterns highlighted mutual MMT and GO sheets crystalline-structure disruption by the d (002) shift 2θ = 6.29° to lower values. Furthermore, the nanohybrids were embedded in the polyurea matrix, and the thermo-mechanical analysis gave information about the stiffness of MMT–GO nanocomposites, while GOD insertion within the MMT layers resulted in a 30 °C improvement in the Tg of hard domains, as shown in the DSC study. The micro CT analysis show good dispersion of inorganic structures within the polyurea, while the SEM fracture images revealed smooth surfaces. Cone calorimetry was used to evaluate fire-retardant properties through limiting the oxygen index, and MMT–GOD based nanocomposites showed a 35.4% value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Graphene-Based Nanocomposites)
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12 pages, 2055 KiB  
Article
Preparation of Graphene Oxide/Cellulose Composites with Microcrystalline Cellulose Acid Hydrolysis Using the Waste Acids Generated by the Hummers Method of Graphene Oxide Synthesis
by Yuanyuan Miao, Xiuya Wang, Yixing Liu, Zhenbo Liu and Wenshuai Chen
Polymers 2021, 13(24), 4453; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13244453 - 19 Dec 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3276
Abstract
The Hummers method is the most commonly used method to prepare graphene oxide (GO). However, many waste acids remain in the raw reaction mixture after the completion of this reaction. The aim of this study was to reuse these waste acids efficiently. In [...] Read more.
The Hummers method is the most commonly used method to prepare graphene oxide (GO). However, many waste acids remain in the raw reaction mixture after the completion of this reaction. The aim of this study was to reuse these waste acids efficiently. In this study, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was directly dissolved in the mixture after the high-temperature reaction of the Hummers method. The residual acid was used to hydrolyze MCC, and the graphene oxide/microcrystalline cellulose (GO/MCC) composites were prepared, while the acid was reused. The effects of MCC addition (0.5 g, 1.0 g, and 1.5 g in 20 mL) on the properties of the composites were discussed. The structure, composition, thermal stability, and hydrophobicity of GO/MCC composites were characterized and tested by SEM, XRD, FTIR, TG, and contact angle tests. The results showed that MCC could be acid hydrolyzed into micron and nano-scale cellulose by using the strong acidity of waste liquid after GO preparation, and it interacted with the prepared GO to form GO/MCC composites. When the addition amount of MCC was 1 g, the thermal stability of the composite was the highest due to the interaction between acid-hydrolyzed MCC and GO sheets. At the same time, the hydrophobic property of the GO/MCC composite is better than that of the GO film. The freeze-dried GO/MCC composites are more easily dispersed in water and have stronger stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Graphene-Based Nanocomposites)
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12 pages, 19315 KiB  
Article
Preparation of p-Phenylenediamine Modified Graphene Foam/Polyaniline@Epoxy Composite with Superior Thermal and EMI Shielding Performance
by Liusi Wang, Haoliang Li, Shuxing Xiao, Mohan Zhu and Junhe Yang
Polymers 2021, 13(14), 2324; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13142324 - 15 Jul 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2180
Abstract
With the development of integrated devices, the local hot spot has become a critical problem to guarantee the working efficiency and the stability. In this work, we proposed an innovative approach to deliver graphene foam/polyaniline@epoxy composites (GF/PANI@EP) with improvement in the thermal and [...] Read more.
With the development of integrated devices, the local hot spot has become a critical problem to guarantee the working efficiency and the stability. In this work, we proposed an innovative approach to deliver graphene foam/polyaniline@epoxy composites (GF/PANI@EP) with improvement in the thermal and mechanical property performance. The graphene foam was firstly modified by the grafting strategy of p-phenylenediamine to anchor reactive sites for further in-situ polymerization of PANI resulting in a conductive network. The thermal conductivity (κ) and electromagnetic interference shielding (EMI) performance of the optimized GF/PANI4:1@EP is significantly enhanced by 238% and 1184%, respectively, compared to that of pristine EP with superior reduced modulus and hardness. Such a method to deliver GF composites can not only solve the agglomeration problem in traditional high content filler casting process, but also provides an effective way to build up conductive network with low density for thermal management of electronic devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Graphene-Based Nanocomposites)
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