From carbon nanotubes and silicate layers to graphene platelets for polymer nanocomposites

• Main Authors: Zaman, Izzuddin, Kuan, Hsu-Chiang, Dai, Jingfei, Kawashima, Nobuyuki, Michelmore, Andrew, Sovi, Alex, Dong, Songyi, Luonga, Lee, Ma, Jun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012
• Subjects: TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery; TA401-492 Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials
• Online Access: http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/4574/1/AJ%202017%20%28194%29%20From%20carbon%20nanotubes%20and%20silicate%20layers.pdf; http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/4574/; http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c2nr30837a
• Institution: Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia

In spite of extensive studies conducted on carbon nanotubes and silicate layers for their polymer-based nanocomposites, the rise of graphene now provides a more promising candidate due to its exceptionally high mechanical performance and electrical and thermal conductivities. The present study developed a facile approach to fabricate epoxy–graphene nanocomposites by thermally expanding a commercial product followed by ultrasonication and solution-compounding with epoxy, and investigated their morphologies, mechanical properties, electrical conductivity and thermal mechanical behaviour. Graphene platelets (GnPs) of 3.57