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Polymers
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Graphene-Based Polymer Composites and Their Applications II
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Graphene-Based Polymer Composites and Their Applications II

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2025) | Viewed by 5020

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Guohua Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China
Interests: polymer-graphene composite; functional polymer; polymer for display device
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wenhua Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361000, China
Interests: graphene-based flame retardant; composite for pollutant removal; polymer-based sensor; EMI shielding materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Li Tan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
AMME–A-TEAM, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
Interests: crystallization; self-assembly; material design; mechanics of nanomaterials and nanostructures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The mechanical, electrical, thermal, magnetic, optical and biological properties of graphene have attracted a significant amount of attention from the research community since the isolation of single-atom-thick graphene layers. Presenting a very high surface-to-volume ratio, relatively simple processability and low costs, graphene and graphene-related materials were soon identified as promising nanofillers for polymer matrixes. Reports have shown substantial property enhancements for graphene-polymer composites (GPC) at very low filler loadings. Uses of GPC in varied fields, such as energy, electronics, catalysis, separation and purification, biomedicine, aerospace, tribology, etc., have been demonstrated and, in some cases, put into industrial practice. However, challenges still exist. Platelet agglomeration within the polymer matrix is often seen to hinder performance improvements. Poor interfacial adhesion between filler and matrix is also a limiting factor in many systems, which is needed for tuning the surface chemistry to promote physical or chemical interactions with the polymer chains. The range of routes for the fabrication of graphene-related materials, leading to different morphologies, oxidation states, and degrees of platelet exfoliation, have an impact on the final properties of the composites that has not yet been fully addressed. Some argue that the potential of graphene, and its advantages in relation to other nanofillers, has not yet been clearly demonstrated for polymer composites. This Special Issue will cover basic scientific and engineering aspects such as novel manufacturing approaches for graphene-based composites and their structural manipulation for a diverse range of applications, involving, but not limited to, pharmaceutical nanotechnology, tissue engineering, energy storage, water treatment, catalysis, 5G Communications, and optoelectronics. We encourage you to submit a manuscript to this Special Issue. Short communications, full papers and reviews related to graphene-based composites are all welcome. 

Prof. Dr. Guohua Chen
Dr. Wenhua Chen
Dr. Li Tan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

 

Keywords

  • graphene-based composites
  • graphene
  • graphene oxide
  • surface functionalization
  • fabrication approaches
  • materials properties
  • applications

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 8199 KiB  
Article
Microfluidization Preparation of Hybrid Graphene for Enhanced Wear Resistance of Coatings
by Qi Chen, Na Wang, Dhandapani Kuzhandaivel, Yingxian Chen, Lixin Wu and Longhui Zheng
Polymers 2025, 17(6), 824; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17060824 - 20 Mar 2025
Viewed by 333
Abstract
Wear resistance is the key factor that affects the long-term use of leather. Graphene has excellent wear resistance properties, but ensuring the effective dispersion of graphene in resin is crucial for determining the performance of the material. In this work, silica modified with [...] Read more.
Wear resistance is the key factor that affects the long-term use of leather. Graphene has excellent wear resistance properties, but ensuring the effective dispersion of graphene in resin is crucial for determining the performance of the material. In this work, silica modified with polydopamine (SiO2@PDA) was used as an exfoliation agent. Using the microfluidization process and water as the medium, silica-graphene hybrid nanoparticles (SiO2@PDA-G) were prepared from expanded graphite. These nanoparticles were further compounded with waterborne polyurethane (WPU), and a superfine fiber-based fabric was used as the substrate to prepare composite coating. The results showed that the high shear force of the microfluidization process easily broke up the lamellar structure of graphite, resulting in few-layer graphene. Nano-silica was adsorbed on the surface of graphene, preventing re-aggregation between the graphene sheets. Compared to the WPU coating, the presence of SiO2@PDA-G improved the wear resistance and mechanical properties of the coating. The wear rate and the average friction coefficient of the composite coating decreased by 48% and 69%, respectively, and the tensile strength increased by 83%. Therefore, this study provides a new strategy for improving the dispersion of graphene in polymer materials and enhancing the abrasion resistance of the coatings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene-Based Polymer Composites and Their Applications II)
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19 pages, 12311 KiB  
Article
Rapid and Efficient Polymer/Contaminant Removal from Single-Layer Graphene via Aqueous Sodium Nitrite Rinsing for Enhanced Electronic Applications
by Kimin Lee, Juneyoung Kil, JaeWoo Park, Sui Yang and Byoungchoo Park
Polymers 2025, 17(5), 689; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17050689 - 4 Mar 2025
Viewed by 878
Abstract
The removal of surface residues from single-layer graphene (SLG), including poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymers and Cl− ions, during the transfer process remains a significant challenge with regard to preserving the intrinsic properties of SLG, with the process often leading to unintended doping [...] Read more.
The removal of surface residues from single-layer graphene (SLG), including poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymers and Cl− ions, during the transfer process remains a significant challenge with regard to preserving the intrinsic properties of SLG, with the process often leading to unintended doping and reduced electronic performance capabilities. This study presents a rapid and efficient surface treatment method that relies on an aqueous sodium nitrite (NaNO2) solution to remove such contaminants effectively. The NaNO2 solution rinse leverages reactive nitric oxide (NO) species to neutralize ionic contaminants (e.g., Cl−) and partially oxidize polymer residues in less than 10 min, thereby facilitating a more thorough final cleaning while preserving the intrinsic properties of graphene. Characterization techniques, including atomic force microscopy (AFM), Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), demonstrated substantial reductions in the levels of surface residues. The treatment restored the work function of the SLG to approximately 4.79 eV, close to that of pristine graphene (~4.5–4.8 eV), compared to the value of nearly 5.09 eV for conventional SLG samples treated with deionized (DI) water. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the reduced doping effects and improved structural integrity of the rinsed SLG. This effective rinsing process enhances the reproducibility and performance of SLG, enabling its integration into advanced electronic devices such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), photovoltaic (PV) cells, and transistors. Furthermore, the technique is broadly applicable to other two-dimensional (2D) materials, paving the way for next-generation (opto)electronic technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene-Based Polymer Composites and Their Applications II)
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14 pages, 6648 KiB  
Article
Exploratory Study on the Application of Graphene Platelet-Reinforced Composite to Wind Turbine Blade
by Hyeong Jin Kim and Jin-Rae Cho
Polymers 2024, 16(14), 2002; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16142002 - 12 Jul 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1310
Abstract
With the growth of the wind energy market and the increase in the size of wind turbines, the demand for advanced composite materials with high strength and low density for wind turbine blades has become imperative. Graphene platelets (GPLs) stand out as highly [...] Read more.
With the growth of the wind energy market and the increase in the size of wind turbines, the demand for advanced composite materials with high strength and low density for wind turbine blades has become imperative. Graphene platelets (GPLs) stand out as highly premising reinforcements due to their exceptional physical properties, resulting in their widespread adoption in the composite industry in recent years. The present study aims to analyze the applicability of a graphene-platelet-reinforced composite (GPLRC) to wind turbine blades in terms of structural performance. A finite element blade model is constructed by referring to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 5 MW wind turbine, and its reliability is verified through a convergence test. The performance of the wind turbine blade is quantitatively examined in terms of the deflection and stress, natural frequencies, and twist angle. The applicability of the GPL-reinforced wind blade is explored through a comparison with wind blades manufactured with glass fiber and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The comparison indicates that the performance of a wind blade can be remarkably improved by reinforcing with GPLs instead of traditional fillers, and the weight of not only the wind blade itself but also the wind turbine system can be remarkably reduced. The present results can be useful in the development of next-generation high-strength lightweight wind turbine blades. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene-Based Polymer Composites and Their Applications II)
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11 pages, 7271 KiB  
Article
Enhancement of Thermal Management Performance of Copper Foil Using Additive–Free Graphene Coating
by Bing Hu, Huilin Yuan and Guohua Chen
Polymers 2024, 16(13), 1872; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16131872 - 30 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1697
Abstract
Advanced thermal interface materials with high thermal conductivity are crucial for addressing the heat dissipation issue in high-power, highly integrated electronic devices. One great potential way in this field is to take advantage of cooling copper foil (Cu) materials based on graphene (G). [...] Read more.
Advanced thermal interface materials with high thermal conductivity are crucial for addressing the heat dissipation issue in high-power, highly integrated electronic devices. One great potential way in this field is to take advantage of cooling copper foil (Cu) materials based on graphene (G). However, the current manufacturing of these cooling copper foil materials is accompanied by high cost, process complexity, and environmental problems, which limit their development and application. In this work, a simple, low-cost, environmentally friendly graphene-copper foil composite film (rGO/G-Cu) with high thermal conductivity was successfully prepared using graphene oxide directly as a dispersant and binder of graphene coating. The microstructure characterization, thermal conductivity and thermal management performance tests were carried out on the composite films. The results demonstrate that compared to pure copper foil (342.47 W·m−1·K−1) and 10% PVA/G-Cu (367.98 W·m−1·K−1) with polyvinyl alcohol as a binder, 10% rGO/G-Cu exhibits better thermal conductivity (414.56 W·m−1·K−1). The introduction of two-dimensional graphene oxide effectively enhances the adhesion between the coating and the copper foil while greatly improving its thermal conductivity. Furthermore, experimental results indicate that rGO/G-Cu exhibits excellent heat transfer performance and flexibility. This work is highly relevant to the development of economical and environmentally friendly materials with high thermal conductivity to meet the increasing demand for heat dissipation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene-Based Polymer Composites and Their Applications II)
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