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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 (20 April 2023) | Viewed by 10709

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Prof. Dr. M. Gabriella Santonicola

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Department of Chemical Materials and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via del Castro Laurenziano 7, 00161 Rome, Italy
Interests: functional polymers and composites; stimuli-responsive polymers; carbon-based nanomaterials; graphene-based nanocomposites; materials for biomedical applications; biosensors and biointerfaces

Special Issue Information

Dear Collegues,

The integration of graphene with its unique electronic structure into polymer architectures has enabled generation of novel materials and surfaces with enhanced performance in various fields of application. The excellent properties of ultrathin graphene, from large thermal conductivity to exceptional mechanical strength and electrochemical properties, combined with its high specific surface area allow to provide potential solutions for many technological challenges.

This Special Issue on “Graphene-Based Polymers: From Synthesis to Applications” aims to highlight recent studies on the use of graphene to enhance the functional and mechanical properties of polymers for various fields of application (biomedical and biotechnology, electronics and optics, chemical sensing, lightweight space components) in which these integrated materials offer distinct advantages over conventional polymers. For an optimal exploitation of graphene unique properties, physico-chemical and biological modifications of the carbon surface are often sought after to control, at different length scales, the interactions at the interface with the polymer. Surface modifications of the graphene nanosheets may include non-covalent approaches, chemical grafting, immobilization of biomolecules or organic/inorganic nanoparticles, thermal treatments. The ability to prepare graphene dispersions in suitable media to facilitate their combination with the macromolecules is also relevant to create homogeneous multifunctional materials.

Topics of interest for this Special Issue include graphene-based multifunctional polymers and nanocomposites for chemical, biomedical and environmental applications, graphene/polymer hydrogels and aerogels, graphene-based sensors for monitoring of structural integrity and human health, nano-engineered lightweight polymer materials and structures for aerospace applications. Original research articles addressing both experimental and theoretical aspects, and reviews describing the current state-of-the-art are welcome.

Prof. Dr. M. Gabriella Santonicola
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Graphene
Nanocomposites
Polymer synthesis
Films and coatings
Surface modification
Processes and fabrication
Mechanical and functional properties
Characterization methods

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Hybrid Carbon Nanocomposites Made of Aerospace-Grade Epoxy Showing Synergistic Effects in Electrical Properties and High Processability

Federica Zaccardi

Elisa Toto

Fabrizio Marra

Maria Gabriella Santonicola

and

Susanna Laurenzi

Polymers 2023, 15(5), 1163; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15051163 - 25 Feb 2023

Viewed by 456

Abstract

In this work, we investigate the processability and the volumetric electrical properties of nanocomposites made of aerospace-grade RTM6, loaded with different carbon nanoparticles. Nanocomposites with graphene nanoplatelets (GNP), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and hybrid GNP/SWCNT in the ratio 2:8 (GNP₂SWCNT₈), 5:5 (GNP₅SWCNT₅) and 8:2 (GNP₈SWCNT₂) were manufactured and analyzed. The hybrid nanofillers are observed to have synergistic properties as epoxy/hybrid mixtures showed better processability than epoxy/SWCNT, while maintaining high values of electrical conductivity. On the other hand, epoxy/SWCNT nanocomposites present the highest electrical conductivities with the formation of a percolating conductive network at lower filler content, but very large viscosity values and filler dispersion issues, which significantly affect the final quality of the samples. Hybrid nanofiller allows us to overcome the manufacturing issues typically associated with the use of SWCNTs. The combination of low viscosity and high electrical conductivity makes the hybrid nanofiller a good candidate for the fabrication of aerospace-grade nanocomposites with multifunctional properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene-Based Polymers: From Synthesis to Applications)

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Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigation of Fabricated Graphene Nanoplates/Polystyrene Nanofibrous Membrane for DCMD

Ahmad Abdullah

Abdulaziz Al-Qahatani

and

Polymers 2021, 13(20), 3499; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13203499 - 12 Oct 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1191

Abstract

In recent decades, the fabrication of composite membranes using nanoparticles has played a vital role in membrane distillation (MD) technique. It could make available membranes with superior characteristics as excellent candidates for MD technique. The most well-known obstacles regarding the MD method are the low productivity and high cost. Thus, fabricating membranes with superior properties is a significant challenge. In the current study, a composite membrane has been fabricated using 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 weight percent (wt.%) of graphene nanoparticles (GNPs) with polystyrene (PS) as a base polymer and characterized using SEM, FTIR, and contact angle. The characterization results prove the successful fabrication using electrospinning and the validity of the fabricated membranes to be applied to direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). In addition, a DCMD experimental setup has been designed to examine the performance of the fabricated membranes and compare the performance of blank PS with composite PS/GNPs membranes. The results show that all fabricated membranes produced an approximately similar average flux of about 10 kg/m² h, while the highest GNPs wt.% showed the highest salt rejection. Accordingly, this composite membrane has been examined at different operating parameters and showed stable performance. Moreover, feed temperature and the rate of flow have a positive impact on the overall performance of the DCMD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene-Based Polymers: From Synthesis to Applications)

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Open AccessArticle

Modeling and Simulation of Fabricated Graphene Nanoplates/Polystyrene Nanofibrous Membrane for DCMD

Ahmad Abdullah

Abdulaziz Al-Qahatani

and

Polymers 2021, 13(17), 2987; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13172987 - 03 Sep 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1324

Abstract

Membrane distillation is an active technique that provides pure water with very good rejection and could be applied to water of extremely high salinity. The low productivity of membrane distillation needs intensive efforts to be competitive with other desalination techniques. In this current study, a composite (PS/GNP) membrane, which is composed of polystyrene (PS) based and 0.25% weight percent graphene nanoplates (GNP) has been fabricated via electrospinning and compared with the blank PS membrane. SEM, FTIR, contact angle and porosity characterization have been performed, and the results show that the validity of the predefined conditions, and the contact angle of the composite membrane, which is found to be 91.68°, proved the hydrophobic nature of the composite membrane. A numerical simulation using Ansys 2020 software has been introduced to study the performance of the fabricated composite membrane when used in direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). The numerical model has been validated with experimental work from the literature and showed an excellent match. The blank PS and composite PS/GNP membranes have been investigated and compared at different operating conditions, i.e., hot water supply temperature and system flow rate. The results show that the composite PS/GNP membrane outperforms the blank PS membrane at all studied operating conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene-Based Polymers: From Synthesis to Applications)

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Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Understanding the Reinforcement of Graphene in Poly(Ether Ether Ketone)/Carbon Fibre Laminates

Araceli Flores

Susana Quiles-Díaz

Patricia Enrique-Jimenez

Aránzazu Martínez-Gómez

Marián A. Gómez-Fatou

and

Horacio J. Salavagione

Polymers 2021, 13(15), 2440; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13152440 - 24 Jul 2021

Viewed by 1558

Abstract

PEEK appears as an excellent candidate to substitute epoxy resins in carbon fibre laminates for high-performance aeronautical applications. The optimization of the properties and, in particular, of the transition region between the fibres and the matrix appear as a major issue prior to serial production. Graphene, modified with two compatibilizers, has been incorporated in the polymer layer with the purpose of imparting additional functionalities and enhancing the matrix-fibre interaction. It is found that both carbon fibres and modified graphene significantly influence the crystallization behaviour and smaller, and/or more imperfect crystals appear while the degree of crystallinity decreases. Despite this, nanoindentation studies show that the PEEK layer exhibits significant modulus improvements (≈30%) for 5 wt.% of graphene. Most importantly, the study of the local mechanical properties by nanoindentation mapping allows the identification of remarkably high modulus values close to the carbon fibre front. Such a relevant mechanical enhancement can be associated with the accumulation of graphene platelets at the polymer–fibre boundary, as revealed by electron microscopy studies. The results offer a feasible route for interlaminar mechanical improvement based on the higher density of graphene platelets at the fibre front that should promote interfacial interactions. Concerning electrical conductivity, a large anisotropy was found for all laminates, and values in the range ~10⁻⁴ S/cm were found for the through-thickness arrangement as a consequence of the good consolidation of the laminates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene-Based Polymers: From Synthesis to Applications)

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Open AccessArticle

Investigation and Modeling of the Electrical Conductivity of Graphene Nanoplatelets-Loaded Doped-Polypyrrole

and

Polymers 2021, 13(7), 1034; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13071034 - 26 Mar 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 1533

Abstract

In this study, a hybrid of graphene nanoplatelets with a polypyrrole having 20 wt.% loading of carbon-black (

HGPPy . {CB}_{20 %}

), has been fabricated. The thermal stability, structural changes, morphology, and the electrical conductivity of the hybrids were investigated using [...] Read more.

In this study, a hybrid of graphene nanoplatelets with a polypyrrole having 20 wt.% loading of carbon-black (

HGPPy . {CB}_{20 %}

), has been fabricated. The thermal stability, structural changes, morphology, and the electrical conductivity of the hybrids were investigated using thermogravimetric analyzer, differential scanning calorimeter, X-ray diffraction analyzer, scanning electron microscope, and laboratory electrical conductivity device. The morphology of the hybrid shows well dispersion of graphene nanoplatelets on the surface of the

PPy . {CB}_{20 %}

and the transformation of the gravel-like

PPy . {CB}_{20 %}

shape to compact spherical shape. Moreover, the hybrid’s electrical conductivity measurements showed percolation threshold at 0.15 wt.% of the graphene nanoplatelets content and the curve is non-linear. The electrical conductivity data were analyzed by comparing different existing models (Weber, Clingerman and Taherian). The results show that Taherian and Clingerman models, which consider the aspect ratio, roundness, wettability, filler electrical conductivity, surface interaction, and volume fractions, closely described the experimental data. From these results, it is evident that Taherian and Clingerman models can be modified for better prediction of the hybrids electrical conductivity measurements. In addition, this study shows that graphene nanoplatelets are essential and have a significant influence on the modification of

PPy . {CB}_{20 %}

for energy storage applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene-Based Polymers: From Synthesis to Applications)

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Open AccessArticle

Flexible Nanocomposites Based on Polydimethylsiloxane Matrices with DNA-Modified Graphene Filler: Curing Behavior by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Elisa Toto

Susanna Laurenzi

and

Maria Gabriella Santonicola

Polymers 2020, 12(10), 2301; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12102301 - 08 Oct 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1623

Abstract

Novel silicone-based nanocomposites with varied elastic properties were prepared by blending standard polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with a lower viscosity component (hydroxyl-terminated PDMS) and integrating a graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) filler modified by strands of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The curing behavior of these nanocomposites was studied by dynamic and isothermal differential scanning calorimetry. The activation energies of the polymerization reactions were determined using the Kissinger method and two model-free isoconversional approaches, the Ozawa–Flynn–Wall and the Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose methods. Results show that the complex trend of the curing behavior can be described using the isoconversional methods, unveiling lower activation energies for the nanocomposites with standard PDMS matrices. The role of the DNA modification of graphene on the curing behavior is also demonstrated. The curing reactions of the nanocomposites with the PDMS matrix are favored by the presence of the GNP–DNA filler. PDMS/PDMS–OH blends generate softer nanocomposites with hardness and reduced elastic modulus that can be tuned by varying the amount of the filler. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene-Based Polymers: From Synthesis to Applications)

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Open AccessReview

Recent Trends in Graphene/Polymer Nanocomposites for Sensing Devices: Synthesis and Applications in Environmental and Human Health Monitoring

Elisa Toto

Susanna Laurenzi

and

Maria Gabriella Santonicola

Polymers 2022, 14(5), 1030; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14051030 - 04 Mar 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2060

Abstract

Graphene-based nanocomposites are largely explored for the development of sensing devices due to the excellent electrical and mechanical properties of graphene. These properties, in addition to its large specific surface area, make graphene attractive for a wide range of chemical functionalization and immobilization of (bio)molecules. Several techniques based on both top-down and bottom-up approaches are available for the fabrication of graphene fillers in pristine and functionalized forms. These fillers can be further modified to enhance their integration with polymeric matrices and substrates and to tailor the sensing efficiency of the overall nanocomposite material. In this review article, we summarize recent trends in the design and fabrication of graphene/polymer nanocomposites (GPNs) with sensing properties that can be successfully applied in environmental and human health monitoring. Functional GPNs with sensing ability towards gas molecules, humidity, and ultraviolet radiation can be generated using graphene nanosheets decorated with metallic or metal oxide nanoparticles. These nanocomposites were shown to be effective in the detection of ammonia, benzene/toluene gases, and water vapor in the environment. In addition, biological analytes with broad implications for human health, such as nucleic bases or viral genes, can also be detected using sensitive, graphene-based polymer nanocomposites. Here, the role of the biomolecules that are immobilized on the graphene nanomaterial as target for sensing is reviewed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene-Based Polymers: From Synthesis to Applications)

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