Surface Modification of Carbon Nanofibers and Graphene Platelets Mixtures by Plasma Polymerization of Propylene

Carlos Andrés Covarrubias-Gordillo,José Francisco Hernández-Gámez,Carlos Alberto Ávila-Orta,María Guadalupe Neira-Velázquez,Florentino Soriano-Corral,Victor Javier Cruz-Delgado,Patricia Adriana De León-Martínez,Ernesto Hernández-Hernández

doi:10.1155/2017/4875319

Carlos Andrés Covarrubias-Gordillo, José Francisco Hernández-Gámez + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4875319

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Abstract

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs), graphene platelets (GPs), and their mixtures were treated by plasma polymerization of propylene. The carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) were previously sonicated in order to deagglomerate and increase the surface area. Untreated and plasma treated CNPs were analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). DLS analysis showed a significant reduction of average particle size, due to the sonication pretreatment. Plasma polymerized propylene was deposited on the CNPs surface; the total amount of polymerized propylene was from 4.68 to 6.58 wt-%. Raman spectroscopy indicates an increase in the sp3 hybridization of the treated samples, which suggest that the polymerized propylene is grafted onto the CNPs.

Highlights

Carbon atoms have a specific behavior that allows different electron configurations, known as hybridization, sp2 hybridization being responsible for the formation of twodimensional sheets formed by carbon atoms arranged in hexagons, known as graphene [1]
Untreated and plasma treated carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) were analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
Raman spectroscopy indicates an increase in the sp3 hybridization of the treated samples, which suggest that the polymerized propylene is grafted onto the CNPs

Summary

Introduction

Carbon atoms have a specific behavior that allows different electron configurations, known as hybridization, sp hybridization being responsible for the formation of twodimensional sheets formed by carbon atoms arranged in hexagons, known as graphene [1] This hexagonal pattern is responsible for its unique properties such as high electrical and thermal conductivity and high mechanical strength [2,3,4], making it ideal to improve the properties of several polymer matrices. Graphene is considered the basic structure of various allotropes of carbon, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), fullerenes, carbon nanofibers (CNFs), and graphene platelets (GPs) [1, 5,6,7,8] One of these allotropes that has generated particular interest, for industrial scale, is the CNFs, due to their low cost and excellent physicochemical properties. This structure and its ultrahigh aspect ratio provide to GPs extraordinary properties such as high thermal conductivity and high mechanical strength [6, 14]

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