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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2024) | Viewed by 20596

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Dr. Hongsheng Yang

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Key Laboratory of Rubber-Plastics, Ministry of Education/ Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Rubber-plastics, Qingdao University of Science & Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
Interests: aerogel; graphene; polymer nanocomposites; aramid fiber; rubber latex

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Graphene has many unique advantages, including excellent mechanical properties, high electrical and thermal conductivity, huge specific surface area, and various derivatives and processing methods, so that it can be used as a filler to form polymer/graphene composites or nanocomposites, which can improve the mechanical properties, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, or electromagnetic shielding properties of a polymer matrix. With development of more than ten years, researchers have made fruitful achievements in the field of traditional polymer/graphene composites and nanocomposites. Many synthesis and preparation methods have been developed in this aera. The relationships between different structures and properties of composites have been illustrated. Different interfacial interactions have been applied to enhance the combination between graphene fillers and the polymer matrix. They have shown a wide range of application possibilities in many fields.

In this Special Issue, “Advances in Polymer/Graphene Composites and Nanocomposites”, we focus on new forms of graphene/polymer composites and nanocomposites, such as aerogels, hydrogels, fibres, colloid, emulsion, powders, and nanomembranes; novel polymer matrices, including fluorine rubber, silicone rubber, PPTA, cellulose, chitin, polyimide, and polylactic acid; novel structures, synthesis methods, and interface interactions; and applications, including medical, electronics, sensing, actuators, protection, environment, and energy. Here, graphene is not just a nanofiller, but a potential major component or the main body of the material.

Of course, manuscripts about traditional polymer/graphene composites and nanocomposites are also encouraged for submission. We welcome all manuscripts involving graphene/polymer composites and nanocomposites in this Special Issue. We accept all forms of manuscripts, including Research Articles, Communications, Reviews, and Perspectives.

Dr. Hongsheng Yang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

graphene and graphene oxide
polymer composite and nanocomposite
aerogel
hydrogel
functional
high strength
lightweight
energy
environment
health

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 8881 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Synergistic Effect of Short Aramid Fibers and Graphene Nanoplatelets on the Mechanical and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene Composites Prepared via Thin-Plate Injection

by Andressa Antunes Carneiro, Iaci Miranda Pereira, Rafael Rodrigues Dias, Dionisio da Silva Biron, Heitor Luiz Ornaghi Júnior, Francisco Maciel Monticeli, Daiane Romanzini and Ademir José Zattera

Polymers 2025, 17(3), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17030374 - 30 Jan 2025

Viewed by 757

Abstract

The present study aims to evaluate thin plate-injected polypropylene (PP) composites containing short aramid fibers (AF) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). The aramid fibers were manually cut to a length of 10 mm and added to the polypropylene matrix at a concentration of 10 wt.%. Additionally, GNPs were incorporated at concentrations of 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 wt.%. Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was used at a concentration of 2 wt.% to improve the adhesion and compatibility between the polymer matrix and the fillers. Thermal analyses, tensile and flexural tests, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis were performed, followed by statistical analysis using ANOVA and Tukey’s test. The composites demonstrated significant improvements in storage and loss moduli compared to neat polypropylene. With the addition of AF and GNPs, tensile strength increased to 46.8 MPa, which represents a 265% enhancement compared to PP. Similarly, flexural strength reached 62.4 MPa, significantly higher than the 36.73 MPa for PP, particularly for the composite containing AF and 0.25 wt.% GNPs. The results presented in this study highlight the synergistic effect of aramid fibers and GNPs on PP. These improvements make the proposed composites highly promising for a range of applications, including ballistic interlayered aramid/thin-plate laminates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer/Graphene Composites and Nanocomposites)

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21 pages, 6317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Additive Fabrication of Polyaniline and Carbon-Based Composites for Energy Storage

by Niwat Hemha, Jessada Khajonrit and Wiwat Nuansing

Polymers 2024, 16(23), 3369; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16233369 - 29 Nov 2024

Viewed by 930

Abstract

The growing demand for efficient energy storage systems, particularly in portable electronics and electric vehicles, has led to increased interest in supercapacitors, which offer high power density, rapid charge/discharge rates, and long cycle life. However, improving their energy density without compromising performance remains a challenge. In this study, we developed novel 3D-printed reduced graphene oxide (rGO) electrodes coated with polyaniline (PANI) to enhance their electrochemical properties. The rGO 3D-printed electrodes were fabricated using direct ink writing (DIW), which allowed precise control over thickness, ranging from 4 to 24 layers. A unique ink formulation was optimized for the printing process, consisting of rGO, cellulose acetate (CA) as a binder, and acetone as a solvent. The PANI coating was applied via chemical oxidative polymerization (COP) with up to five deposition cycles. Electrochemical testing, including cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), revealed that 12-layer electrodes with three PANI deposition cycles achieved the highest areal capacitance of 84.32 mF/cm². While thicker electrodes (16 layers and beyond) experienced diminished performance due to ion diffusion limitations, the composite electrodes demonstrated excellent cycling stability, retaining over 80% of their initial capacitance after 1500 cycles. This work demonstrates the potential of 3D-printed PANI/rGO electrodes for scalable, high-performance supercapacitors with customizable architectures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer/Graphene Composites and Nanocomposites)

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15 pages, 8062 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modulation of Interlayer Nanochannels via the Moderate Heat Treatment of Graphene Oxide Membranes

by Na Meng, Xin Sun, Jinxin Liu, Jialing Mi, Xuan Chen and Rong Rong

Polymers 2024, 16(15), 2200; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16152200 - 2 Aug 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1294

Abstract

In response to the phenomenon of interlayer transport channel swelling caused by the hydration of oxygen-containing functional groups on the GO membrane surface, a moderate heat treatment method was employed to controllably reduce the graphene oxide (GO) membrane and prepare a reduced GO composite nanofiltration membrane (mixed cellulose membrane (MCE)/ethylenediamine (EDA)/reduced GO-X (RGO-X)). The associations of different heat treatment temperatures with the hydrophilicity, interlayer structure, permeability and dye/salt rejection properties of GO membranes were systematically explored. The results indicated that the oxygen-containing groups of the GO membrane were partially eliminated after heat treatment, and the hydrophilicity was weakened. This effectively weakened the hydration between the GO membrane and the water molecules and inhibited the swelling of the oxidized graphene membrane. In the dye desalination test, the MCE/EDA/RGO membrane exhibited an ultra-high rejection rate of over 97% for methylene blue (MB) dye molecules. In addition, heat treatment increased the structural defects of the GO membrane and promoted the fast passage of water molecules via the membrane. In pure water flux testing, the water flux of the membrane remained above 46.58 Lm⁻²h⁻¹bar⁻¹, while the salt rejection rate was relatively low. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer/Graphene Composites and Nanocomposites)

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17 pages, 7542 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrochemical Investigation of PEDOT:PSS/Graphene Aging in Artificial Sweat

by Boriana Tzaneva, Valentin Mateev, Bozhidar Stefanov, Mariya Aleksandrova and Ivo Iliev

Polymers 2024, 16(12), 1706; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16121706 - 14 Jun 2024

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2045

Abstract

Herein, we investigate the potential application of a composite consisting of PEDOT:PSS/Graphene, deposited via spray coating on a flexible substrate, as an autonomous conducting film for applications in wearable biosensor devices. The stability of PEDOT:PSS/Graphene is assessed through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear polarization (LP) during exposure to an artificial sweat electrolyte, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to investigate the morphological changes in the layer following these. The results indicate that the layers exhibit predominant capacitive behavior in the potential range of −0.3 to 0.7 V vs. Ag/AgCl, with a cut-off frequency of approximately 1 kHz and retain 90% capacity after 500 cycles. Aging under exposure to air for 6 months leads only to a minor increase in impedance, demonstrating potential for storage under non-demanding conditions. However, prolonged exposure (>48 h) to the artificial sweat causes significant degradation, resulting in an impedance increase of over 1 order of magnitude. The observed degradation raises important considerations for the long-term viability of these layers in wearable biosensor applications, prompting the need for additional protective measures during prolonged use. These findings contribute to ongoing efforts to enhance the stability and reliability of conducting materials for biosensors in health care and biotechnology applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer/Graphene Composites and Nanocomposites)

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28 pages, 19739 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Epoxy/Graphene Nanoplatelet (GNP) Nanocomposites: An Experimental Study on Tensile, Compressive, and Thermal Properties

by Mahmuda Akter, Huseyin Ozdemir and Kadir Bilisik

Polymers 2024, 16(11), 1483; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16111483 - 23 May 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2522

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental investigation of nanocomposites composed of three ratios of epoxy/graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) by weight. The 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 wt.% specimens were carefully manufactured, and their mechanical and thermal conductivity properties were examined. The tensile strength and modulus of epoxy/GNPs were enhanced by the large surface area of graphene nanoplatelets, causing crack deflection that created new fracture fronts and friction because of the rough fracture surface. However, the compressive strength was gradually reduced as GNP loading percentages increased. This was probably due to severe plastic yielding on the epoxy, leading to catastrophic axial splitting caused by premature fractures. Furthermore, the highest thermal conductivity was 0.1283 W/m-K, representing a 20.92% improvement over neat epoxy (0.1061 W/m-K) when 0.3 wt.% GNPs were added to the epoxy. This was because of efficient heat propagation in the GNPs due to electron movement through percolative paths. The tensile failure mode in epoxy/GNP nanocomposites showed a few deflected and bifurcated rough cracks and brittle, dimple-like fractures. Contrarily, compressive failure mode in GNP-added epoxy showed plastic flexural buckling and brittle large-axial splitting. The epoxy/GNP nanocomposites were considered a damage-tolerant material. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer/Graphene Composites and Nanocomposites)

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18 pages, 5670 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Insight into the Role of Conductive Polypyrrole Coated on Rice Husk-Derived Nanosilica-Reduced Graphene Oxide as the Anodes: Electrochemical Improvement in Sustainable Lithium-Ion Batteries

by Natthakan Ratsameetammajak, Thanapat Autthawong, Kittiched Khunpakdee, Mitsutaka Haruta, Torranin Chairuangsri and Thapanee Sarakonsri

Polymers 2023, 15(24), 4638; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15244638 - 7 Dec 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2034

Abstract

Polypyrrole (PPy) is a type of conducting polymer that has garnered attention as a potential electrode material for sustainable energy storage devices. This is mostly attributed to its mechanical flexibility, ease of processing, and ecologically friendly nature. Here, a polypyrrole-coated rice husk-derived nanosilica-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (SiO₂-rGO@PPy) as an anode material was developed by a simple composite technique followed by an in situ polymerization process. The architecture of reduced graphene oxide offers a larger electrode/electrolyte interface to promote charge-transfer reactions and provides sufficient space to buffer a large volume expansion of SiO₂, maintaining the mechanical integrity of the overall electrode during the lithiation/delithiation process. Moreover, the conducting polymer coating not only improves the capacity of SiO₂, but also suppresses the volume expansion and rapid capacity fading caused by serious pulverization. The present anode material shows a remarkable specific reversible capacity of 523 mAh g⁻¹ at 100 mA g⁻¹ current density and exhibits exceptional discharge rate capability. The cycling stability at a current density of 100 mA g⁻¹ shows 81.6% capacity retention and high Coulombic efficiency after 250 charge–discharge cycles. The study also pointed out that this method might be able to be used on a large scale in the lithium-ion battery industry, which could have a big effect on its long-term viability. Creating sustainable nanocomposites is an exciting area of research that could help solve some of the biggest problems with lithium-ion batteries, like how easy they are to make and how big they can be used in industry. This is because they are sustainable and have less of an impact on the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer/Graphene Composites and Nanocomposites)

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15 pages, 4339 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of the Graphene Quantum Dot Content on the Thermal, Dynamic-Mechanical, and Morphological Properties of Epoxy Resin

by Bárbara Schneider, Heitor Luiz Ornaghi Jr., Francisco Maciel Monticeli and Daiane Romanzini

Polymers 2023, 15(23), 4531; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15234531 - 25 Nov 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1682

Abstract

Different amounts of graphene quantum dots (CQDs) (0, 1, 2.5, and 5 wt%) were incorporated into an epoxy matrix. The thermal conductivity, density, morphology, and dynamic mechanical thermal (DMTA) properties were reused from the study of Seibert et al.. The Pearson plot showed a high correlation between mass loading, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity. A poorer correlation with density and heat capacity was observed. At lower CQD concentrations (0.1 wt%), the fracture surface showed to be more heterogeneous, while at higher amounts (2.5 and 5 wt%), a more homogeneous surface was observed. The storage modulus values did not change with the CQD amount. But the extension of the glassy plateau increased with higher CQD contents, with an increase of ~40 °C for the 5 wt% compared to the 2.5 wt% and almost twice compared to the neat epoxy. This result is attributed to the intrinsic characteristics of the filler. Additionally, lower energy dissipation and a higher glass transition temperature were observed with the CQD amount. The novelty and importance are related to the fact that for more rigid matrices (corroborated with the literature), the mechanical properties did not change, because the polymer bridging mechanism was not present, in spite of the excellent CQD dispersion as well as the filler amount. On the other hand, thermal conductivity is directly related to particle size and dispersion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer/Graphene Composites and Nanocomposites)

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20 pages, 10708 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Correlation of the Role of Synthesized Biochar on Thermal, Morphological, and Crystalline Properties of Coagulation Processed Poly(1,4-phenylene sulfide) Nanocomposites

by Zaib Un Nisa, Lee Kean Chuan, Beh Hoe Guan, Faiz Ahmad and Saba Ayub

Polymers 2023, 15(8), 1851; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15081851 - 12 Apr 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1928

Abstract

This work aimed to study the thermal and crystalline properties of poly (1,4-phenylene sulfide)@carbon char nanocomposites. Coagulation-processed nanocomposites of polyphenylene sulfide were prepared using the synthesized mesoporous nanocarbon of coconut shells as reinforcement. The mesoporous reinforcement was synthesized using a facile carbonization method. The investigation of the properties of nanocarbon was completed using SAP, XRD, and FESEM analysis. The research was further propagated via the synthesis of nanocomposites through the addition of characterized nanofiller into poly (1,4-phenylene sulfide) at five different combinations. The coagulation method was utilized for the nanocomposite formation. The obtained nanocomposite was analyzed using FTIR, TGA, DSC, and FESEM analysis. The BET surface area and average pore volume of the bio-carbon prepared from coconut shell residue were calculated to be 1517 m²/g and 2.51 nm, respectively. The addition of nanocarbon to poly (1,4-phenylene sulfide) led to an increase in thermal stability and crystallinity up to 6% loading of the filler. The lowest glass transition temperature was achieved at 6% doping of the filler into the polymer matrix. It was established that the thermal, morphological, and crystalline properties were tailored by synthesizing their nanocomposites with the mesoporous bio-nanocarbon obtained from coconut shells. There is a decline in the glass transition temperature from 126 °C to 117 °C using 6% filler. The measured crystallinity was decreased continuously, with the mixing of the filler exhibiting the incorporation of flexibility in the polymer. So, the loading of the filler into poly (1,4-phenylene sulfide) can be optimized to enhance its thermoplastic properties for surface applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer/Graphene Composites and Nanocomposites)

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26 pages, 11294 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review of Graphene-Based Materials/Polymer Composite Aerogels

by Ze Wang, Libao Liu, Yiwei Zhang, Yi Huang, Jia Liu, Xu Zhang, Xu Liu, Huaibao Teng, Xiaofang Zhang, Jianming Zhang and Hongsheng Yang

Polymers 2023, 15(8), 1888; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15081888 - 14 Apr 2023

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6215

Abstract

The fabrication of composite materials is an effective way to improve the performance of a single material and expand its application range. In recent years, graphene-based materials/polymer composite aerogels have become a hot research field for preparing high-performance composites due to their special synergistic effects in mechanical and functional properties. In this paper, the preparation methods, structures, interactions, properties, and applications of graphene-based materials/polymer composite aerogels are discussed, and their development trend is projected. This paper aims to arouse extensive research interests in multidisciplinary fields and provide guidance for the rational design of advanced aerogel materials, which could then encourage efforts to use these new kinds of advanced materials in basic research and commercial applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymer/Graphene Composites and Nanocomposites)

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