Study on the synergistic effects of graphene/carbon nanotubes polymer nanocomposites

C. Kostagiannakopoulou; G. Maroutsos; G. Sotiriadis; A. Vavouliotis; V. Kostopoulos

doi:10.1117/12.923336

3 April 2012 Study on the synergistic effects of graphene/carbon nanotubes polymer nanocomposites

C. Kostagiannakopoulou, G. Maroutsos, G. Sotiriadis, A. Vavouliotis, V. Kostopoulos

Proceedings Volume 8409, Third International Conference on Smart Materials and Nanotechnology in Engineering; 840911 (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.923336
Event: Third International Conference on Smart Materials and Nanotechnology in Engineering, 2011, Shenzhen, China

Abstract

The present study attempts to investigate the synergistic effects of graphene nanoplatelets and multi-wall carbon nanotubes on mechanical and physical properties when used as nano-fillers in a conventional aerospace epoxy system. Towards this direction, 0.5 % w.t. graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) consisting of several graphene sheets with an overall average thickness of 10 nanometers and average diameter of 5 microns are homogenously dispersed along with 0.3 % w.t. multi-walled carbon nanotubes with average diameter about 10-15 nm and length larger than 500 nm. The dispersion of the hybrid GNP/MWCNTs epoxy mixture was achieved using a Torus Mill™ device under vacuum which introduced high shear forces by a high-speed rotating disc and reduced the nano-particle agglomerates due to the milling effect generated by zirconium dioxide beads. Furthermore using same dispersion technique non-hybrid nano-composites were produced with: (a) 0.5% w.t. GNP and (b) 0.3% w.t MWCNTs. Also neat epoxy samples were produced. The experimental campaign started with SEM microscopy in order to gain an insight for the homogeneous dispersion of both nano-fillers. Furthermore electrical & thermal conductivity and glass transition temperature (Tg) measurements were conducted. Finally tensile and flexure tests were performed. The nano-composites doped only with GNPs exhibited the highest tensile and flexural modulus with hybrid material recording the worst performance. On the contrary experimental results indicate that the presence of GNP proved beneficial for further increase of thermal and thermo-mechanical properties of nano-composites doped only with carbon nanotubes.

Citation Download Citation

C. Kostagiannakopoulou, G. Maroutsos, G. Sotiriadis, A. Vavouliotis, and V. Kostopoulos "Study on the synergistic effects of graphene/carbon nanotubes polymer nanocomposites", Proc. SPIE 8409, Third International Conference on Smart Materials and Nanotechnology in Engineering, 840911 (3 April 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.923336

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