Graphene and Graphene-Based Polymer Composites: From Preparation to Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanocomposite Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2024) | Viewed by 4610

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, China
Interests: polymer-graphene composite; functional polymer; polymer for display device
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 cost, 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, demanding surface chemistry tuning to promote physical or chemical interactions with the polymer chains. The range of routes for fabrication of graphene-related materials, leading to different morphologies, oxidation states, and degrees of platelet exfoliation, has 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 would like to invite 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
Guest Editor

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. Nanomaterials 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 2900 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

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 4681 KiB  
Article
Studying the Structure and Properties of Epoxy Composites Modified by Original and Functionalized with Hexamethylenediamine by Electrochemically Synthesized Graphene Oxide
by Anton Mostovoy, Amirbek Bekeshev, Sergey Brudnik, Andrey Yakovlev, Andrey Shcherbakov, Nurgul Zhanturina, Arai Zhumabekova, Elena Yakovleva, Vitaly Tseluikin and Marina Lopukhova
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(7), 602; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14070602 - 28 Mar 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1580
Abstract
In this study, we used multilayer graphene oxide (GO) obtained by anodic oxidation of graphite powder in 83% sulfuric acid. The modification of GO was carried out by its interaction with hexamethylenediamine (HMDA) according to the mechanism of nucleophilic substitution between the amino [...] Read more.
In this study, we used multilayer graphene oxide (GO) obtained by anodic oxidation of graphite powder in 83% sulfuric acid. The modification of GO was carried out by its interaction with hexamethylenediamine (HMDA) according to the mechanism of nucleophilic substitution between the amino group of HMDA (HMDA) and the epoxy groups of GO, accompanied by partial reduction of multilayer GO and an increase in the deformation of the carbon layers. The structure and properties of modified HMDA-GO were characterized using research methods such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The conducted studies show the effectiveness of using HMDA-OG for modifying epoxy composites. Functionalizing treatment of GO particles helps reduce the free surface energy at the polymer–nanofiller interface and increase adhesion, which leads to the improvement in physical and mechanical characteristics of the composite material. The results demonstrate an increase in the strength and elastic modulus in bending by 48% and 102%, respectively, an increase in the impact strength by 122%, and an increase in the strength and elastic modulus in tension by 82% and 47%, respectively, as compared to the pristine epoxy composite which did not contain GO-HMDA. It has been found that the addition of GO-HMDA into the epoxy composition initiates the polymerization process due to the participation of reactive amino groups in the polymerization reaction, and also provides an increase in the thermal stability of epoxy nanocomposites. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 4387 KiB  
Article
Reduced Graphene Oxide Modified Nitrogen-Doped Chitosan Carbon Fiber with Excellent Electromagnetic Wave Absorbing Performance
by Mengyao Guo, Ming Lin, Jingwei Xu, Yongjiao Pan, Chen Ma and Guohua Chen
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(7), 587; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14070587 - 27 Mar 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1300
Abstract
Lightweight and low-cost one-dimensional carbon materials, especially biomass carbon fibers with multiple porous structures, have received wide attention in the field of electromagnetic wave absorption. In this paper, graphene-coated N-doped porous carbon nanofibers (PCNF) with excellent wave absorption properties were successfully synthesized via [...] Read more.
Lightweight and low-cost one-dimensional carbon materials, especially biomass carbon fibers with multiple porous structures, have received wide attention in the field of electromagnetic wave absorption. In this paper, graphene-coated N-doped porous carbon nanofibers (PCNF) with excellent wave absorption properties were successfully synthesized via electrostatic spinning, electrostatic self-assembly, and high-temperature carbonization. The obtained results showed that the minimum reflection loss of the absorbing carbon fiber obtained under the carbonization condition of 800 °C is −51.047 dB, and the absorption bandwidth of reflection loss below −20 dB is 10.16 GHz. This work shows that carbonization temperature and filler content have a certain effect on the wave-absorbing properties of fiber, graphene with nanofiber, and the design and preparation of high-performance absorbing materials by combining the characteristics of graphene and nanofibers and multi-component coupling to provide new ideas for the research of absorbing materials. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

21 pages, 9340 KiB  
Review
Laser-Scribed Graphene for Human Health Monitoring: From Biophysical Sensing to Biochemical Sensing
by Yakang Li, Yaxin Li, Sirui Wu, Xuewen Wu and Jian Shu
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(11), 942; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14110942 - 27 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1217
Abstract
Laser-scribed graphene (LSG), a classic three-dimensional porous carbon nanomaterial, is directly fabricated by laser irradiation of substrate materials. Benefiting from its excellent electrical and mechanical properties, along with flexible and simple preparation process, LSG has played a significant role in the field of [...] Read more.
Laser-scribed graphene (LSG), a classic three-dimensional porous carbon nanomaterial, is directly fabricated by laser irradiation of substrate materials. Benefiting from its excellent electrical and mechanical properties, along with flexible and simple preparation process, LSG has played a significant role in the field of flexible sensors. This review provides an overview of the critical factors in fabrication, and methods for enhancing the functionality of LSG. It also highlights progress and trends in LSG-based sensors for monitoring physiological indicators, with an emphasis on device fabrication, signal transduction, and sensing characteristics. Finally, we offer insights into the current challenges and future prospects of LSG-based sensors for health monitoring and disease diagnosis. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop