Evolution of properties and enhancement mechanism of large-scale three-dimensional graphene oxide-carbon nanotube aerogel/polystyrene nanocomposites

Abstract

Graphene oxide/carbon nanotubes reinforced high-performance polymer matrix composites featuring lightweight, electrical and thermal properties, are highly required, yet their development still remains a huge challenge. Here, a novel approach for a flexible and high strong (graphene oxide/carbon nanotube) aerogel/polystyrene (GOCA/PS) nanocomposite was developed by in-situ polymerization and hot-pressing method using prefabricated GO/CNT aerogel as the interconnected three-dimensional (3D) reinforcement skeleton. Aerogel plays the role of nano-rivets in composite to improve mechanical strength, and the enhancement mechanism was investigated. The results indicate that GO/CNT exhibits excellent dispersion in the polystyrene matrix. In compared with pure PS, the tensile, flexural, compressive, and impact strength of GOCA/PS composite with about 1.0 wt%, a 7:3 mass ratio of GO to CNT, were increased by shifted from 7.35 to 12.83 MPa (about 74.5%), 18.13–29.60 MPa (about 63.2%), 33.15 to 74.44 kJ/m2 (about 124.5%), and 2.09–6.53 MPa (about 211.94%), respectively. Moreover, the microhardness, elastic, flexural and compressive modulus also increased to maximum at a 7:3 mass ratio of GO to CNT. The approach may provide an effective approach to the design and investigation of reinforced composites.