Silane-functionalized graphene nanoplatelets for silicone rubber nanocomposites

He Ren,Zheling Li,Zhaodong Fan,Ian A Kinloch,Eunice Cunha,Robert J Young,Quanji Sun,Andrew Kretinin,Lei Wang,Dian Yi

doi:10.1007/s10853-021-06737-w

Abstract

Silane-functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were prepared using a newly developed approach based upon a simple two-step strategy. The effect of their dispersion and interfacial bonding on the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of reinforced silicone rubber (SR) was investigated. It was found by Raman mapping that the silane-functionalized GNPs could be dispersed uniformly into the SR matrix, leading to an increase of up to 25% in Young’s modulus at only 2 parts per hundred rubber (phr) loading and a considerable enhancement of up to 150% in the thermal conductivity at 5-phr loading. Both the Young’s modulus and thermal conductivity experimental results were found to be in agreement with the values predicted using theoretical models.Graphical abstract

Highlights

Silicone rubber (SR) is an extensively used industrial material that has received considerable interest owing to its outstanding properties
Usually in the form of graphene oxide (GO), and Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) have been studied as reinforcing fillers to improve the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of the silicone rubber composites [8,9,10,11,12,13]
Silane-functionalized GNPs were successfully produced through a simple two-step strategy

Summary

Introduction

Silicone rubber (SR) is an extensively used industrial material that has received considerable interest owing to its outstanding properties. Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), consisting of multiple layers of graphene, with thicknesses ranging from that of graphene to approximately 100 nm, have attracted attention as an economically viable alternative to graphene in large-scale applications [7]. Both graphene, usually in the form of graphene oxide (GO), and GNPs have been studied as reinforcing fillers to improve the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of the silicone rubber composites [8,9,10,11,12,13]. The similarities in chemical composition and structure of the functional groups with polysiloxanes allow the formation of a better interface between the functionalized fillers and the matrix, resulting in an enhancement of both the mechanical properties and the thermal conductivity of the SR composites

Objectives

Findings

Conclusion