Preparation and loads transfer behaviour of graphene/halloysite organic–inorganic hybrid aerogel

Abstract

Aerogel materials have wide research and application in the fields of thermal insulation and functional materials. Although graphene sheet has high strength in conventional graphene aerogels, the interaction between sheets is weak. The overall strength of graphene aerogels is not high enough. Aerogels, especially halloysite aerogels, have been successfully synthesised in recent years, but their electrical potential expansion is slightly insufficient. Therefore, in view of the enhancement of the mechanical properties of aerogels and the development of electrical potential, the idea of organic–inorganic hybrid (OIH) aerogel was proposed. Graphene halloysite OIH aerogel materials were prepared by graphene sheets and halloysite fibres. The preparation and microstructure of materials were characterised using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption–desorption. Meanwhile, the mechanical properties of aerogels were also studied, and the stress transfer behaviour of aerogels was investigated by Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the OIH aerogel was successfully obtained. The strength of the OIH aerogels was much higher than that of the mixture of graphene and halloysite aerogel. The OIH network aerogels had more effective stress transfer effect depending on the chemical bonds between the networks.