Polymer-graphite nanocomposites: Effective dispersion and major property enhancement via solid-state shear pulverization

Katsuyuki Wakabayashi*, Philip Brunner, Cynthia Pierre, John M. Torkelson

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Well-exfoliated polymer-graphite nanocomposites made using only untreated, as-received graphite and polymer were prepared by solid-state shear pulverization (SSSP). X-ray diffraction of 2.5 wt% graphite-polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites made via SSSP revealed an almost total suppression of the scattering peak characteristic of the inter-graphene sheet spacing (0.335 nm) within graphite; electron microscopy revealed the presence of nanoplatelets in the nanocomposite with thicknesses of several to thirty layered graphene sheets. Relative to neat PP, 2.5 wt% graphite-PP nanocomposites exhibited a 100% increase in room-temperature Young's modulus and a 60% increase in yield strength. Such property enhancement has not been previously observed in polymer-graphite nanocomposites/hybrids of the same or lower graphite content (treated or untreated) and produced without solvent/sonication or in nanocomposites made by co-processing PP and organoclay leading to confirmed exfoliation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSociety of Plastics Engineers - 66th Annual Technical Conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers, Plastics Encounter at ANTEC 2008
Pages1975-1979
Number of pages5
StatePublished - 2008
Event66th Annual Technical Conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers, Plastics Encounter at ANTEC 2008 - Milwaukee, WI, United States
Duration: May 4 2008May 8 2008

Publication series

NameTechnical Papers, Regional Technical Conference - Society of Plastics Engineers
Volume4

Other

Other66th Annual Technical Conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers, Plastics Encounter at ANTEC 2008
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityMilwaukee, WI
Period5/4/085/8/08

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
  • Materials Chemistry
  • Polymers and Plastics

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