Improving the through-thickness thermal and electrical conductivity of carbon fibre/epoxy laminates by exploiting synergy between graphene and silver nano-inclusions

Abstract

Fibre-reinforced polymer composites typically feature low functional (e.g., electric and thermal conductivity) and structural (e.g. mechanical strength and fracture toughness) properties in the laminate’s thickness direction. In the event of lightning strikes, overheating, and impact by foreign objects, composite laminates may suffer wide spread structural damage. This research explores the synergistic physical interaction between two-dimensional nanostructured (graphene nano-platelets) and, zero- or one-dimensional conductive fillers (silver nanoparticles or silver nanowires, respectively) when both are dispersed in fibre–polymer laminates. The results reveal a synergistic improvement in the through-thickness thermal conductivity that is more than the additive improvements by each constituent. Specifically, the simultaneous inclusion of graphene nano-platelets and silver nanoparticles/nanowires at a combined loading of 1vol% resulted in approximately 40% enhancement in the through-thickness thermal conductivity while the inclusion of graphene nano-platelets alone at the same loading resulted only in 9% improvement. Similarly, the through-thickness electrical conductivity of carbon fibre/epoxy laminates incorporating graphene nano-platelets together with silver nanoparticles/nanowires was notably higher (⩾70%) than can be achieved by graphene nano-platelets alone (∼55%). These results demonstrate that the presence of nano-reinforcements exhibiting varied phonon transport and electron transfer pathways, and geometric aspect ratios promote synergistic physical interactions. Small improvements were found in the mechanical properties, including tensile, flexural or compressive properties of the carbon fibre-reinforced laminates, due to the relatively low concentrations of the nano-fillers.