Reinforced polymeric nanocomposites of the Amino-Decorated Polycalix[4]resorcinarene with graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide as promising candidates in materials science

Abstract

In this paper, the preparation of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide nanosheets has been achieved via the modified Hummer method and the surface modification is performed by the reaction of the acylated form of these graphitic nanosheets with amine-functionalized polycalix[4]resorcinarene as a mesoporous polymeric matrix. The as-prepared nanocomposites have been then characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), Raman spectra, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and UV/Vis spectrophotometry to assess the control of grafting density along with providing information on their natures and structures. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are also applied to detect morphological properties of the obtained products. Taken together, the results reveal the successful preparation of the efficient and wondrous porous nanocomposites with the simultaneously merged reinforced mechanical, electrical and thermal properties of graphitic nanostructures and mesoporous polymeric matrix on the basis of calix[4]resorcinarene.