Nickel and carbon electroexplosive synthesis nanoparticles for modification of thermoplastic composite materials

Abstract

The object of the study is nanoparticles synthesized in the plasma of an electric explosion of graphite and nickel in distilled water. The relevance of the work is due to the need to develop technologies for obtaining nanoparticles for the modification of composite materials. The aim of this work is the practical implementation of the electroexplosive method of synthesis of nickel and carbon nanomaterials for the modification of thermoplastic composites and their experimental study. The introduction provides a brief review of the literature on the modification of composite materials and the use of electrical explosion of conductors for the synthesis of nanoparticles. In the main part of the work, the experimental setup and research methodology are described, and the results obtained are presented. The electroexplosive synthesis of carbon and nickel nanomaterials in distilled water for the modification of thermoplastic composite materials has been practically realized. UsingAFM microscopy, the composition, structure, and morphology of the obtained nanoparticles were studied. The morphological diversity of nanoparticles up to 100 nm in size is quite high. Spherical, acute-angled, pyramidal nanoparticles are observed. About 60 % of carbon nanoparticles are smaller than 60 nm. The maximum size distribution is located in the range of 20–60 nm and depends on the number of dispersed samples. More than 60 % of nickel nanoparticles have a size smaller than 80 nm, and the maximum size distribution is in the range of 40–80 nm and also depends on the number of dispersed samples. With an increase in the number of dispersed samples in one volume of water, the profile of the size distribution and the position of the maximum of both carbon and nickel nanoparticles shift to the region of larger sizes. “Average volumetric” and “average geometric” diameters of nickel nanoparticles remain almost at the same level. “Average volumetric” and “average geometric” diameters of carbon nanoparticles increase with increasing number of dispersed graphite samples in water. Thus, the possibility of effective dispersion of graphite and nickel by electric explosion with obtaining high concentrations of nanoparticles for modification of thermoplastic composites and other materials has been shown. Conclusions on the performed work are formulated in the conclusion.