Preparation and Properties of Graphene/Novel Degradable Plastics Hybrid Low Enthalpy of Phase Transition Materials

Abstract

Graphene (GNs) were chosen to modify hybrid and novel degradable plastics PTLA/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The low enthalpy of melting phase transformation (MEPT) materials (PTLA/PMMA)/GNs were prepared by adding the GNs at different mass fraction(1%, 2%, 3%, 4%) into PTLA/PMMA, and the properties of the hybrid phase change materials were characterized. The results indicated that the MEPT of PTLA/PMMA materials can be significantly reduced with the addition of GNs. The addition of 3% (mass) GNs made the MEPT of PTLA/PMMA material decreased by more than 50%. With the increase of GNs mass fraction, the MEPT hardly changed; Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectra showed that the interaction between GNs and PTLA/PMMA was physical; Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed that the components of GNs and PTLA/PMMA were mixed evenly without phase separation; The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) cycle performance tests showed that the decomposition temperature of the (PTLA/PMMA)/GNs material was up to 280 °C, and the properties could remain stable during the circulation process. The addition of GNs could effectively reduce the MEPT of the (PTLA/PMMA)/GNs material, increase the heat transfer efficiency, and have good thermal reliability.