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Polymers
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Functional Graphene-Polymer Composites
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Functional Graphene-Polymer Composites

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Smart and Functional Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2024) | Viewed by 12810

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Andrea Pucci

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: smart polymeric materials; sensor nanocomposites; mechanochromic materials; self-healing composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rodrigo Araya-Hermosilla

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Guest Editor
Programa Institucional de Fomento a la Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, Ignacio Valdivieso 2409, P.O. Box 8940577, San Joaquín, Santiago 8940000, Chile
Interests: multifunctional polymers; carbonaceous nanostructures; self-healing composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Esteban Araya-Hermosilla

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Guest Editor
Center for Materials Interfaces, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 56025 Pontedera, Italy
Interests: polymer composites; polymeric surfactant; self-healing polymers; soft robotics materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the design and applications of functional graphene–polymer nanocomposites. The study of these materials has increased significantly in recent decades due to their outstanding properties. On the one hand, the addition of graphene into polymer matrices enhances their mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties compared to neat polymers. On the other hand, polymeric matrices support graphene through different chemical and physical interactions at the polymer/graphene interface, thus offering new possibilities of processing. These materials have found applications in the construction, automobile, aerospace, electronics, and biomedical fields.

This Special Issue covers fundamental research and applications of functional graphene–polymer nanocomposites. It deals with the different methods of fabrication, characterization, and application of graphene–polymer nanocomposites associated with self-healing materials, water purification composites, sensors, actuators, soft robotics materials, and many others.

Prof. Dr. Andrea Pucci
Dr. Rodrigo Araya-Hermosilla
Dr. Esteban Araya-Hermosilla
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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
  • reduced graphene oxide
  • functional polymers
  • chemical and physical interfacial interactions
  • nanocomposite sensors
  • self-healing nanocomposites
  • soft robotics materials
  • nanocomposite processing
  • characterization and applications

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 5651 KiB  
Article
Advanced Dentistry Biomaterials Containing Graphene Oxide
by Doina Prodan, Marioara Moldovan, Stanca Cuc, Codruţa Sarosi, Ioan Petean, Miuța Filip, Rahela Carpa, Rami Doukeh and Ioana-Codruta Mirica
Polymers 2024, 16(12), 1743; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16121743 - 19 Jun 2024
Viewed by 834
Abstract
The aim of this study was to obtain three experimental resin-based cements containing GO and HA-Ag for posterior restorations. The samples (S0, S1, and S2) shared the same polymer matrix (BisGMA, TEGDMA) and powder mixture (bioglass (La2O3 and Sr-Zr), quartz, [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to obtain three experimental resin-based cements containing GO and HA-Ag for posterior restorations. The samples (S0, S1, and S2) shared the same polymer matrix (BisGMA, TEGDMA) and powder mixture (bioglass (La2O3 and Sr-Zr), quartz, GO, and HA-Ag), with different percentages of graphene oxide (0%, 0.1%, 0.2% GO) and silver-doped hydroxyapatite (10%, 9.9%, 9.8% HA-Ag). The physical–chemical properties (water absorption, degree of conversion), mechanical properties (DTS, CS, FS), structural properties (SEM, AFM), and antibacterial properties (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Escherichia coli) were investigated. The results showed that the mechanical properties, except for the diametral tensile test, increased with the rise in the %GO. After 28 days, water absorption increased with the rise in the %GO. The surface structure of the samples did not show major changes after water absorption for 28 days. The antibacterial effects varied depending on the samples and bacterial strains tested. After increasing the %GO and decreasing the %HA-Ag, we observed a more pronounced antibacterial effect. The presence of GO, even in very small percentages, improved the properties of the tested experimental cements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Graphene-Polymer Composites)
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14 pages, 2637 KiB  
Article
Corrosion Resistance and Thermal Conductivity Enhancement of Reduced Graphene Oxide–BaSO4–Epoxy Composites
by Tung-Yuan Yung, Wen-Fang Lu, Kun-Chao Tsai, Jeng-Shiung Chen, Kwan-Nang Pang, Yu-Chih Tzeng, Hsin-Ming Cheng and Po-Tuan Chen
Polymers 2022, 14(15), 3144; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14153144 - 2 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2191
Abstract
The results of studies on the corrosion protectiveness and thermal conductivity of reduced graphene oxide–BaSO4 epoxy composites are reported here. A commercial epoxy resin and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were blended with a hardening reagent and then mixed with prepared BaSO4 [...] Read more.
The results of studies on the corrosion protectiveness and thermal conductivity of reduced graphene oxide–BaSO4 epoxy composites are reported here. A commercial epoxy resin and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were blended with a hardening reagent and then mixed with prepared BaSO4–epoxy resin (B–epoxy). The reduced graphene oxide–BaSO4–epoxy composite (rGO–B–epoxy) paste was used to coat the surfaces of Al 7205 alloy and the corrosion and thermal properties were investigated. A corrosion test in a 3.5 wt% synthetic sea water solution showed that the composite coating containing BaSO4 had the best corrosion resistance. Moreover, the rGO–B–epoxy composite showed better protection against corrosion than the epoxy alone. The rGO–B–epoxy composite with 5 wt% BaSO4 had an in-plane coefficient of thermal conductivity of approximately 165.0 W/m K, and the in-plane thermal diffusivity was 71.38 mm2/s. In standard thermal conductivity tests, all three samples had values below 40 W/m K. The rGO–B–epoxy composites showed good surface corrosion protection and in-plane thermal conductivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Graphene-Polymer Composites)
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16 pages, 6058 KiB  
Article
Highly Aligned Ni-Decorated GO–CNT Nanostructures in Epoxy with Enhanced Thermal and Electrical Properties
by Chenxi Hu, Hongnan Zhang, Nigel Neate, Michael Fay, Xianghui Hou, David Grant and Fang Xu
Polymers 2022, 14(13), 2583; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14132583 - 25 Jun 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1885
Abstract
In this study, graphene oxide–carbon nanotubes nanostructures decorated with nickel nanoparticles (NiGNT) were prepared through the molecular-level-mixing method, followed by a reduction process, and then applied as reinforcements to enhance the epoxy resin matrix. The ferromagnetism of the Ni nanoparticles allowed NiGNT nanostructures [...] Read more.
In this study, graphene oxide–carbon nanotubes nanostructures decorated with nickel nanoparticles (NiGNT) were prepared through the molecular-level-mixing method, followed by a reduction process, and then applied as reinforcements to enhance the epoxy resin matrix. The ferromagnetism of the Ni nanoparticles allowed NiGNT nanostructures to be vertically aligned within the composite with the assistance of a magnetic field. Due to the alignment distribution of the NiGNT, the composites demonstrated enhanced anisotropic thermal and electrical conduction performances, compared with pure epoxy and randomly distributed composites. The aligned distribution of NiGNT–epoxy composites displayed 2.7 times higher thermal conductivity and around 104 times better electrical conduction performance, compared with pure epoxy. The thermal expansion of NiGNT–epoxy composite was also restricted in the aligned direction of NiGNT nanostructures. Thus, NiGNT–epoxy composites show great potential as future aerospace, aviation, and automobile materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Graphene-Polymer Composites)
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19 pages, 4146 KiB  
Article
Electrospun Composite Nanofiltration Membranes for Arsenic Removal
by Tawsif Siddique, Rajkamal Balu, Jitendra Mata, Naba K. Dutta and Namita Roy Choudhury
Polymers 2022, 14(10), 1980; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14101980 - 12 May 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2549
Abstract
In recent years, significant attention has been paid towards the study and application of mixed matrix nanofibrous membranes for water treatment. The focus of this study is to develop and characterize functional polysulfone (PSf)-based composite nanofiltration (NF) membranes comprising two different oxides, such [...] Read more.
In recent years, significant attention has been paid towards the study and application of mixed matrix nanofibrous membranes for water treatment. The focus of this study is to develop and characterize functional polysulfone (PSf)-based composite nanofiltration (NF) membranes comprising two different oxides, such as graphene oxide (GO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) for arsenic removal from water. PSf/GO- and PSf/ZnO-mixed matrix NF membranes were fabricated using the electrospinning technique, and subsequently examined for their physicochemical properties and evaluated for their performance for arsenite–As(III) and arsenate–As(V) rejection. The effect of GO and ZnO on the morphology, hierarchical structure, and hydrophilicity of fabricated membranes was studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), small and ultra-small angle neutron scattering (USANS and SANS), contact angle, zeta potential, and BET (Brunauer, Emmett and Teller) surface area analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to study the elemental compositions and polymer-oxide interaction in the membranes. The incorporation of GO and ZnO in PSf matrix reduced the fiber diameter but increased the porosity, hydrophilicity, and surface negative charge of the membranes. Among five membrane systems, PSf with 1% ZnO has the highest water permeability of 13, 13 and 11 L h−1 m−2 bar−1 for pure water, As(III), and As(V)-contaminated water, respectively. The composite NF membranes of PSf and ZnO exhibited enhanced (more than twice) arsenite removal (at 5 bar pressure) of 71% as compared to pristine PSf membranes, at 43%, whereas both membranes showed only a 27% removal for arsenate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Graphene-Polymer Composites)
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18 pages, 5223 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Properties of Immiscible Polyblends with Selective Localization of Reduced Graphene Oxide Networks
by Yiming Meng, Sushant Sharma, Jin Suk Chung, Wenjun Gan, Seung Hyun Hur and Won Mook Choi
Polymers 2022, 14(5), 967; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14050967 - 28 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2395
Abstract
Herein, an effective technique of curing reaction-induced phase separation (CRIPS) was used to construct a reduced graphene oxide (RGO) network in the immiscible diglycidyl ether of the bisphenol A/polyetherimide (DGEBA/PEI) polyblend system. The unique chemical reduction of RGO facilitated the reduction of oxygenated [...] Read more.
Herein, an effective technique of curing reaction-induced phase separation (CRIPS) was used to construct a reduced graphene oxide (RGO) network in the immiscible diglycidyl ether of the bisphenol A/polyetherimide (DGEBA/PEI) polyblend system. The unique chemical reduction of RGO facilitated the reduction of oxygenated groups and simultaneously appended amino groups that stimulate the curing process. The selective interfacial localization of RGO was predicted numerically by the harmonic and geometric mean technique and further confirmed by field emission transmission electron microscopy (FETEM) analysis. Due to interfacial localization, the electrical conductivity was increased to 366 S/m with 3 wt.% RGO reinforcement. The thermomechanical properties of nanocomposites were determined by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The storage modulus of 3 wt.% RGO-reinforced polyblend exhibited an improvement of ~15%, and glass transition temperature (Tg) was 10.1 °C higher over neat DGEBA. Furthermore, the total shielding effectiveness (SET) was increased to 25.8 dB in the X-band region, with only 3 wt.% RGO, which represents ~99.9% shielding efficiency. These phase separation-controlled nanocomposites with selective localization of electrically conductive nanofiller at a low concentration will extend the applicability of polyblends to multifunctional structural nanocomposite applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Graphene-Polymer Composites)
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Review

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28 pages, 3497 KiB  
Review
Polymer-Assisted Graphite Exfoliation: Advancing Nanostructure Preparation and Multifunctional Composites
by Jaime Orellana, Esteban Araya-Hermosilla, Andrea Pucci and Rodrigo Araya-Hermosilla
Polymers 2024, 16(16), 2273; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16162273 - 10 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1722
Abstract
Exfoliated graphite (ExG) embedded in a polymeric matrix represents an accessible, cost-effective, and sustainable method for generating nanosized graphite-based polymer composites with multifunctional properties. This review article analyzes diverse methods currently used to exfoliate graphite into graphite nanoplatelets, few-layer graphene, and polymer-assisted graphene. [...] Read more.
Exfoliated graphite (ExG) embedded in a polymeric matrix represents an accessible, cost-effective, and sustainable method for generating nanosized graphite-based polymer composites with multifunctional properties. This review article analyzes diverse methods currently used to exfoliate graphite into graphite nanoplatelets, few-layer graphene, and polymer-assisted graphene. It also explores engineered methods for small-scale pilot production of polymer nanocomposites. It highlights the chemistry involved during the graphite intercalation and exfoliation process, particularly emphasizing the interfacial interactions related to steric repulsion forces, van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonds, π-π stacking, and covalent bonds. These interactions promote the dispersion and stabilization of the graphite derivative structures in polymeric matrices. Finally, it compares the enhanced properties of nanocomposites, such as increased thermal and electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications, with those of neat polymer materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Graphene-Polymer Composites)
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