Preparation and Properties of Graphene and its Nanocomposites

Abstract

This study proposed a method to improve the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of epoxy composites by incorporating multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and multi-graphene platelets (MGPs) hybrid materials. The MWCNT can bridge adjacent MGPs and inhibit their aggregation effectively, leading to an increased contact surface area between MGP/MWCNT hybrid materials and epoxy matrix. From observing the fractured surface of composite by scanning electron microscope, MWCNT/MGP hybrid materials exhibited better compatibility than individual MWCNT and MGP did.The tensile strength of GD400-MWCNT/MGP/epoxy composites was 35.4% higher than that of epoxy, compared to only a 0.9% increase in tensile strength for MGP/epoxy composites. Thermal conductivity enhanced by 146.9% through incorporating MWCNT/MGP hybrid materials and 23.9% for MGP fillers, compared to non-derivatised epoxy.