In Situ Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes/Graphene Nanoplatelets Hybrid Materials with Excellent Mechanical Performance

Abstract

A two-step method for the preparation of hybrid materials consisting of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) attached to graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) was proposed. Firstly, poly (acryloyl chloride) was grafted in situ onto the surface of MWCNTs. Secondly, the obtained MWCNTs (MWCNTs-PACl) were reacted with acid-treated GNPs to form a nanotube–polymer–graphene hybrid. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to investigate the forming of the hybrid materials. FTIR results showed that MWCNTs/PACl and GNPs were successfully bridged by chemical bonds like O – C = O and C – O – C . Raman spectroscopy furthermore revealed that acryloyl chloride can be used to connect the MWCNTs and GNPs due to the defects of MWCNTs, and consequently the defects of the hybrid materials were limited. Meanwhile, TEM observation demonstrated the nanostructure clearly in which the MWCNTs with a polymer layer were attached successfully on the surface of GNPs. And TGA curves reflected that the content of MWCNTs and GNPs was about 46.5% in the hybrid materials. In addition, the tensile tests results showed that MWCNTs/GNPs hybrid materials can improve the mechanical performance of epoxy composites in higher degree, compared with MWCNTs or GNPs particles alone.