Abstract
The alignment is a key factor to fully exploit the potential of graphene in reinforcement of polymer composites. However, it is still a challenge to orientate graphene in thermosets because of the insoluble and infusible features of the later. In this paper, we report a facile and scalable hot press method to fabricate aligned graphene nanoplate (GnP)/epoxy composites by utilizing the dynamic character of epoxy vitrimer. The bond exchange and topological rearrangement associated viscous flow of epoxy vitrimer during hot press allows the spontaneous orientation of GnP in matrix because the 2D structure and volume exclusion effect. SEM images demonstrate the orientation of GnP, while tensile test reveals the significantly increased reinforcement effect of GnP on matrix after hot press. Moreover, the dynamic reaction of epoxy vitrimer confers good healability and recyclability to the aligned composites as confirmed by the nearly fully recovered mechanical properties of the healed sample after cutting, and the recycled sample after grinding. This work is expected to provide new opportunity for fabrication of aligned thermosetting composites.
Highlights
Graphene has been recognized as ideal nanofiller for polymer composites due to its excellent mechanical property, high thermal, and electrical conductivity, and large aspect ratio (Lee et al, 2012; Xin et al, 2014; Shen et al, 2016)
This work presents a facile and scalable hot press method for the fabrication of aligned graphene nanoplate (GnP)/epoxy composites by using a epoxy vitrimer as matrix
The GnP could be simultaneously orientated in matrix during hot press as confirmed by SEM images due to the ability of epoxy vitrimer to viscous flow at high temperature
Summary
Graphene has been recognized as ideal nanofiller for polymer composites due to its excellent mechanical property, high thermal, and electrical conductivity, and large aspect ratio (Lee et al, 2012; Xin et al, 2014; Shen et al, 2016). Vitrimer is an innovative thermoset that contains exchangeable bonds, such as disulfide bonds (Lei et al, 2014; Ma et al, 2017; Fortman et al, 2018; Huang et al, 2018), imine bonds (Taynton et al, 2014; Lei et al, 2015), ester/hydroxyl groups (Montarnal et al, 2011; Capelot et al, 2012; Lu et al, 2017; Tran et al, 2018), in cross-linked network It behaves like traditional thermosets with good inherent properties, but can undergo bond exchange reaction and topological rearrangement under certain stimuli (Denissen et al, 2016). Because of the dynamic property of the matrix, these aligned composites demonstrated good self-healing and recycling abilities
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