Graphene oxide incorporation in lamellar organosiloxane film for improved water vapor barrier property

Abstract

Lamellar organosiloxane film has been reported to exhibit a good water vapor barrier property as siloxane compounds because siloxane layer serves as blocking layer for water molecule diffusion. Incorporation of an additional blocking component would further decrease a permeation of water molecules into the film. In the present study, lamellar organosiloxane/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite films were prepared by adding GO as a blocking layer. Organosiloxane films of lamellar structure can be obtained even with the GO addition. With the addition of GO into organosiloxane film, the resultant nanocomposite containing 0.037 wt% GO exhibits a minimum water vapor transmittance rate (WVTR) value. The water vapor barrier capability decreases by a further loading of GO because of an increase in a surface roughness of nanocomposite film. The estimated WVTR of a 100-μm-thick lamellar organosiloxane/GO film is reduced to 72 g m−2 d−1 compared to 106 g m−2 d−1 for a lamellar organosiloxane film. This WVTR value of organosiloxane/GO film is about 25 times smaller than that of 100-μm-thick commercial silicone rubber film.