CO2-Based Poly(propylene carbonate) Functionalized for Sustainable Nanocomposites by a Controllable Magnetic Field

Abstract

To alleviate environmental problems caused by carbon emissions, the modified application of the CO2-based polymer has attracted extensive scientific and technological interest. In this study, a series of sustainable nanocomposites were fabricated by a magnetic field with controllable direction to achieve nanofiller orientation in the CO2-derived poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) matrix, and magnetic graphene nanosheets (FG) with varying magnetization were synthesized through a simple coprecipitation process using graphene oxide and iron-containing salts. The resultant nanocomposites not only exhibited anisotropic mechanical properties but also presented anisotropic thermal conductivity (TC) and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding properties in different magnetic field directions. The nanocomposites with a parallel orientation showed further significant improvements compared with the vertically oriented nanocomposites in terms of the mechanical properties, in-plane TC, and EMI shielding performances at the same FG loading. This was possibly attributed to the more regular arrangement of the two-dimensional FG nanosheets in the horizontal magnetic field. In addition, these nanocomposites showed a rapid magnetic response when the magnets were in close proximity. This study on PPC/FG nanocomposites with a controllable orientation structure and magnetic response could provide new ideas for the development of applications of CO2-based PPC materials in the functional and intelligent material field.