Cheap Tubes is fascinated to read about how their products are being utilized by researchers and pioneer adopters of new nanotechnology products. The functionalization of graphene nanoplatelets and mechanical response of graphene/epoxy composites were examined by a research team at the Dalhousie University in Canada.
Graphene Nanoplatelets
It’s remarkable that the team used the best practices for nanoparticle distribution and producing the composites. These procedures best suit large scale industrial applications. Graphene nanoplatelets were produced from natural graphite and normally created through chemical exfoliation, thermal shock and shear, or in a plasma reactor.
The GNPs NH2 are plasma exfoliated from natural graphite. Also, they are said to be friable with high shear mixing down to ~4 layers. The plasma exfoliation process also decays and eradicates contamination commonly seen in graphite materials. The exfoliated and cleaned GNPs are functionalized during the process of exfoliation. Immediately, they are wrapped to reduce exposure of the GNPs to atmospheric oxygen groups.
The product can be manufactured in volumes of up to 140 tons per year and the process is greatly scalable. Cheap Tubes can provide this material in huge scale for composites applications. Silanes are monomeric silicon compounds with four substituent clusters bonded to the silicon atom. These substituent groups are any mixture of nonreactive, originally reactive or inorganically reactive groups. Our GNPs NH2 at 0.5 wt% loading, surpassed the GNPs with silane clusters in the study and demonstrated a whopping 82% rise in fracture resistance in epoxy composites. At last, a nanoscale product providing cost-effective and real benefits for commercial uses, rather than the hype and hot air!
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Functionalization of graphene nanoplatelets and mechanical response of graphene/epoxy composites was examined, the study grade Graphene Nanoplatelets NH2 were utilized. The researchers demonstrate,
“A new strategy for functionalizing graphene nanoplatelets by attaching a silane agent to its structure greatly boosts mechanical properties of epoxy composites. A 0.5 wt% loading enhanced elastic modulus and fracture toughness by 15% and 82%, respectively. Adding the 0.5 wt% GNPs also improved the ultimate strength values higher than this average. Also, the ductility of the host epoxy resin was enhanced by the addition of all types of GNPs. But, the contribution of F-Si and G-NH2 was more important than that of non-processed GNPs. The highest value or fracture durability of nanocomposites was attained at 0.5 wt% by functionalized GNPs. GNP-Si and GNP-NH2 created the greatest increase of fracture durability of the epoxy nanocomposites (~82%).”
When the authors boosted the GNP content to 1 wt%, the fracture toughness decreased, regardless of which type of GNP were used. A similar trend was shown for nanocomposites reinforced with carbon nanotubes.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Cheap Tubes Inc.
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