Abstract
Graphene is an attractive component for high-performance stimuli-responsive or ‘smart’ materials, shape memory materials, photomechanical actuators, piezoelectric materials and flexible strain sensors. Nanocomposite fibres were produced by electrospinning high molecular weight Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP-1300 kDa) in the presence of noncovalently functionalised graphene obtained through tip sonication of graphite alcoholic suspensions in the presence of PVP (10 kDa). Bending instability of electrospun jet appears to progressively increase at low graphene concentrations with the result of greater fibre stretching that leads to lower fibre diameter and possibly conformational changes of PVP. Further increase of graphene content seams having the opposite effect leading to greater fibre diameter and Raman spectra similar to the pure PVP electrospun mats. All this has been interpreted on the basis of currently accepted model for bending instability of electrospun jets. The graphene addition does not lower the very high sound absorption coefficient, α, close to unity, of the electrospun PVP mats in the frequency range 200–800 Hz. The graphene addition affects, in a non-monotonous manner, the bell shaped curves of α versus frequency curves becoming sharper and moving to higher frequency at the lower graphene addition. The opposite is observed when the graphene content is further increased.
Highlights
[1,2] the production of polymer/nanocarbons composites through electrospinning raised enormous interest
Graphite g·mol so Graphite was exfoliated in the presence of low molecular weight PVP (MW: 10,000 g·mol−1) so so described as described in the experimental section a process recently proposed inliterature the literature as in the experimental section withwith a process recently proposed in the
Is confirmed effective to produce graphene, with a three layer structure functionalised with low molecular weight PVP
Summary
[1,2] the production of polymer/nanocarbons composites through electrospinning raised enormous interest. Light non-woven mats (density = 63 kg/m3 ) were successfully obtained by electrospinning PVP of high molecular weight (1300 KDa), at different graphene concentration. The blankets were prepared by electrospinning solutions of PVP of high molecular weight (1300 KDa) in which noncovalently functionalized graphene had been dispersed. It is well known [1,13], that dispersing and aligning the nanofillers in a polymer matrix is very difficult owing to the strong Van der Waals attractions between nanocarbons that induce aggregation and prevent dispersion. A simple and effective method to disperse pristine graphene using a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) of low molecular weight (10,000 g·mol−1 ) was proposed [36].
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