Graphene Oxide Loading Research Articles

Structural, electrical, and photothermal conversion studies of Triglycine sulfate/Graphene oxide composites for pyroelectric detector and energy harvesting applications

Abstract The aim of this study is to investigate the figures of merit for pyroelectric detectors and energy harvesting of polycrystalline triglycine sulfate (TGS) loaded with different weight ratios of graphene oxide (GO). FTIR, XRD, and DSC techniques are used to characterize the synthesized composites. Structural changes in TGS upon GO loading correlate to the subsequent variations in composites' dielectric, pyroelectric, optical, and photothermal properties. The results revealed that doping TGS by low content of GO (1% – 5% by weight) could improve its photothermal effectiveness and figures of merit for pyroelectric detectors and energy harvesting applications.

Drug modifications: graphene oxide-chitosan loading enhanced anti-amoebic effects of pentamidine and doxycycline.

Acanthamoeba castellanii is the causative pathogen of a severe eye infection, known as Acanthamoeba keratitis and a life-threatening brain infection, named granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. Current treatments are problematic and costly and exhibit limited efficacy against Acanthamoeba parasite, especially the cyst stage. In parallel to drug discovery and drug repurposing efforts, drug modification isalsoan important approach to tackle infections, especially against neglected parasites such as free-living amoebae: Acanthamoeba. In this study, we determined whether modifying pentamidine and doxycycline through chitosan-functionalized graphene oxide loading enhances their anti-amoebic effects. Various concentrations of doxycycline, pentamidine, graphene oxide, chitosan-functionalized graphene oxide, and chitosan-functionalized graphene oxide loaded with doxycycline and pentamidine were investigated for amoebicidal effects against pathogenic A. castellanii belonging to the T4 genotype. Lactate dehydrogenase assays were performed to determine toxic effects of these various drugs and nanoconjugates against human cells. The findings revealed that chitosan-functionalized graphene oxide loaded with doxycycline demonstrated potent amoebicidal effects. Nanomaterials significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited excystation and encystation of A. castellanii without exhibiting toxic effects against human cells in a concentration-dependent manner, as compared with other formulations. These results indicate that drug modifications coupled with nanotechnology may be a viable avenue in the rationale development of effective therapies against Acanthamoeba infections.

Effective interlaminar toughening of carbon fiber/epoxy composite laminates by extremely low loadings of monolayer graphene oxide

AbstractAn interlaminar ultrafine spraying method was proposed for monolayer graphene oxide (GO) modified CFRP nanocomposite laminates. The well‐dispersed monolayer GO nano‐solutions were prepared by multi‐level dispersion and then sprayed on carbon fiber/epoxy prepreg by the ultrafine atomizing technique. A series of GO/CFRP laminate specimens with different GO loadings were fabricated for our fracture toughness tests and SEM characterization. The test results indicated that the Mode I fracture toughness () was enhanced by 140% with quite a low fraction of monolayer GO nanosheets. The distinct toughening effect at such a low level of nano‐contents was attributed to the sufficient quantity of monolayer GO nanosheets and also a uniform distribution, which was found to be more important than the volume/weight fraction as the principal structural parameter. Thus, the proposed interlaminar toughening approach owns the virtues of good effectiveness and especially low cost owing to the largely reduced weight percentage of nanographene, showing a promising potential of industrial scale‐up.Highlights Proposed an interlaminar ultrafine spraying method for monolayer GO nanosheets. Found that the quantity of GO nanosheets is vital in polymer toughening. Realized significant toughening with extremely low loadings of monolayer GO. Provided a way with high toughening effect and low cost for industrial scale‐up.

Bacterial cellulose-graphene oxide composite membranes with enhanced fouling resistance for bio-effluents management

Bacterial cellulose composites hold promise as renewable bioinspired materials for industrial and environmental applications. However, their use as free-standing water filtration membranes is hindered by low compressive strength, fouling, and poor contaminant selectivity. This study investigates the potential of bacterial cellulose-graphene oxide composites membranes for fouling resistance in pressure-driven filtration. Graphene oxide dispersed in poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-400) is incorporated as a reinforcing filler into 3D network of bacterial cellulose using an in-situ synthesis method. The effect of graphene oxide on in situ fermentation yield and the formation of percolated-network in the composites shows that the optimal membrane properties are reached at a graphene oxide loading of 2 mg/mL. The two-dimensional graphene oxide nanosheets uniformly dispersed into the matrix of bacterial cellulose nanofibers via hydrogen-bonded interactions demonstrated nearly twofold higher water flux (380 L m−2 h−1) with a molecular weight cut-off ranging between 100–200 KDa and a sixfold increase in wet compression strength than pristine BC. When exposed to synthetic organic foulants and bacterial rich feed solutions, the composite membranes showed more than 95% flux recovery. Additionally, the membranes achieved over 95% rejection of synthetic natural organic matter and bacterial rich solutions, showcasing their enhanced fouling resistance and selectivity.

Architecting side chain grafted poly (vinylidene fluoride) based graphene oxide composite polyelectrolyte membranes for hydrogen and direct methanol fuel cells

Chemically modified poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) as polyelectrolyte has generated immense interest due to its high efficiency in electrochemical energy devices. Herein, the design of a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) is formulated by the synergistic fusion of graphene oxide (GO) into chemically grafted PVDF with 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) by solution phase intercalation producing GO@PVDF-g-PAMPS composite membranes. Ozone-induced graft copolymerization technique is employed to prepare PVDF-g-PAMPS with 18.2 % (w/w) degree of grafting. Incorporation of GO into the polymeric membrane generates appropriate hydrophilic-hydrophobic phase separation and constructs well-organized sub-nano slit-like pathways that elevate the proton conduction. PAG-0 membrane without any filler shows a proton conductivity (κ) of 15.1 mS/cm at 80 °C whereas PAG-2 membrane (with 2% w/w GO loading) shows a κ of 25.9 mS/cm under similar conditions. The presence of a perfluorinated backbone furnishes excellent oxidative stability to the PEMs by retaining 95 % of total mass and 97.3 % of κ after dipping in harsh Fenton's reagent at 60 °C for 6 h. Representative PAG-2 shows a peak power density of 152.9 mW/cm2 with a maximum current density of 480.6 mA/cm2 (fuel cell operating conditions: 75 °C at 100 % RH) in hydrogen fuel cell and a peak power density of 37.7 mW/cm2 in direct methanol fuel cell. Moreover, PAG-2 retains 91 % of its initial OCV and exhibits a mere 5.2 % loss in peak power density after 50 h of the durability test.

Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of NiMn Layered Double Hydroxides/Graphene Oxide Composites Synthesized by One-Step Hydrothermal Method for Supercapacitors.

This study aims to enhance the performance of supercapacitors, focusing particularly on optimizing electrode materials. While pure NiMn layered double hydroxides (LDHs) exhibit excellent electrochemical properties, they have limitations in achieving high specific capacitance. Therefore, this paper successfully synthesized composite materials of NiMn LDHs with varying loadings of graphene oxide (GO) using a hydrothermal method. Systematic physicochemical characterization of the synthesized materials, such as powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and Raman spectroscopy, revealed the influence of GO doping on the microstructure and electrochemical performance of NiMn LDHs. Electrochemical tests demonstrated that the NiMn LDHs/GO electrode material exhibited optimal electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance of 2096 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 current density and 1471 F g-1 at 10 A g-1, when GO doping level was 0.45 wt %. Furthermore, after 1000 cycles of stability testing, the material retained 53.3 % capacitance at 5 A g-1, indicating good cyclic stability. This study not only provides new directions for research on supercapacitor electrode materials but also offers new strategies for developing low-cost and efficient electrode materials.

Interfacial enhancement enables highly conductive reduced graphene oxide-based yarns for efficient electromagnetic interference shielding and thermal regulation

Although the coating of conductive graphene onto commercial yarns is promising for scalable production, the resulting conductive yarns are susceptible to the coating detachment, causing reduced conductivity and poor stability. Herein, we propose a scalable and cost-effective interfacial enhancement strategy for fabricating highly conductive yarns with satisfactory mechanical properties by modifying polyamide yarns with polyethyleneimine to enhance their interaction with graphene oxide (GO) sheets and subsequently reducing the GO component with hydroiodic acid. Because the enhanced interfacial interactions of the polyethyleneimine-modified polyamide yarns with the GO sheets improve the loading of GO and the coating stability, the resultant yarns can withstand bending, embroidering, sewing and weaving, maintaining an extraordinary conductivity of 4.7 × 103 S m−1 after 10000-cycle bending. The conductive textiles woven by the yarns reach an excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness of 66.7 dB at the thickness of 0.615 mm along with superior hydrophobicity, satisfactory air permeability, and high electrothermal and solar-thermal energy conversion performances. The EMI shielding effectiveness of the textile is well maintained even after 5000-cycle bending, demonstrating its satisfactory stability. This work demonstrates an interfacial enhancement strategy for the large-scale fabrication of multifunctional yarns that hold great promise for EMI shielding, personal thermal regulation, and deicing applications.

Experimental investigation on the tribo-mechanical behavior of PMMA reinforced by solid lubricant filler for dental implant applications

This study investigates the enhancement of mechanical and tribological behavior in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) composites reinforced with graphene oxide (GO) as a solid lubricant filler for advanced biomedical applications, particularly dental implants. PMMA/GO composites were prepared with varying weight percentages of GO (0, 0.2, 0.5, 0.7, and 1 wt. %) to assess their impact on material performance. A noteworthy improvement in both tensile strength and Young’s modulus was detected, reaching up to 141% and 10.6%, respectively, at optimized GO loadings of 1%. Microstructural analysis utilizing scanning electron microscopy for the worn surface revealed enhanced dispersion and interfacial adhesion between GO and the PMMA matrix, reinforcing mechanical coherence. Tribological properties also demonstrated enhancement, with PMMA composites containing 1 wt. % GO exhibiting optimal mechanical and tribological characteristics compared to lower weight fractions. Moreover, microscopic examination revealed a shift in the wear mechanism of the PMMA-GO composite, which was attributed to the lower friction coefficient obtained by GO integration.

Preparation of a novel polyvinyl chloride ultrafiltration membrane modified with graphene oxide nanoparticle derived from plastic waste for wastewater purification

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to improve the performance of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) ultrafiltration membrane with graphene oxide (GO) that was synthesized from the pyrolysis of polypropylene (PP) bottles. The amount of GO loading in the membrane structure was 0.05, 0.15, and 0.25 wt%. x‐ray diffractometer, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle (CA), water content, porosity, mechanical strength were used to characterize the synthesized membranes. Cross‐sectional SEM results of membranes indicated that the modification of the membrane caused the formation of finger‐like pores in the bottom part and also these holes increased the dye rejection efficiency in the membranes of (18 wt% PVC/2 wt% PVP/0.15 wt% GO) and (14 wt% PVC/2 wt% PVP/0.25 wt% GO). The CA of the synthesized membranes were decreased from 70 in (18 wt% PVC/2 wt% PVP) to 62 in (14 wt% PVC/2 wt% PVP/0.15 wt% GO), which indicates the increase in hydrophilicity of these membranes. The results showed that the best performance is related to the membranes (18 wt% PVC/2 wt% PVP/0.15 wt% GO) and (14 wt% PVC/2 wt% PVP/0.25 wt% GO) with a rejection efficiency of 92% and 83% for 100 ppm methyl blue.

Improving CO2 adsorption efficiency of an amine-modified MOF-808 through the synthesis of its graphene oxide composites

This research developed a novel composite of MOF-NH2 and graphene oxide (GO) for enhanced CO2 capture. Employing the response surface methodology-central composite design (RSM-CCD) for experiments design, various MOF-NH2/GO samples with GO loadings from 0 to 30 wt% were synthesized. The results of SEM, XRD, EDS, and BET analysis revealed that the materials maintained their MOF crystal structure, confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and exhibited unique texture, high porosity, and oxygen-enriched surface chemistry. The influence of temperature (25–65 °C) and pressure (1–9 bar) on CO2 adsorption capacity was assessed using a volumetric adsorption system. Optimum conditions were obtained at weight percent of 22.6 wt% GO, temperature of 25 °C, and pressure of 9 bar with maximum adsorption capacity of 303.61 mg/g. The incorporation of amino groups enhanced the CO2 adsorption capacity. Isotherm and kinetic analyses indicated that Freundlich and Fractional-order models best described CO2 adsorption behavior. Thermodynamic analysis showed the process was exothermic, spontaneous, and physical, with enthalpy changes of − 16.905 kJ/mol, entropy changes of − 0.030 kJ/mol K, and Gibs changes energy of − 7.904 kJ/mol. Mass transfer diffusion coefficients increased with higher GO loadings. Regenerability tests demonstrated high performance and resilience, with only a 5.79% decrease in efficiency after fifteen cycles. These findings suggest significant potential for these composites in CO2 capture technologies.

Boosting polyamide 6: a comparative study on graphene and graphene oxide for improved mechanical and thermal properties

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of incorporating graphene (G) and graphene oxide (GO) on the mechanical and thermal properties of polyamide 6 (PA6) composites. We employ a melt-extrusion process to achieve homogeneous dispersion of varying G and GO loadings (1.0–5.0 wt%) within the PA6 matrix. Notably, 2.0 wt% of both G and GO achieve excellent dispersion, leading to significant enhancements in the degradation temperature and a reduction in the thermal decomposition rate of the PA6 blends. Compared to the neat PA6, these composites exhibit improved (mention specific mechanical properties observed, e.g. tensile strength, modulus). This research establishes a novel and cost-effective approach to improve the processability, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of PA6, making it a valuable contribution for applications demanding high performance.

Application of novel dual-ligand co metal-organic framework/graphene oxide for electrocatalytic oxidative degradation of bisphenol A in marine wastewater

The adjustment of the electron distribution of 2D metal-organic frameworks (2D-MOFs), as a hot anode candidate for electrocatalytic oxidation, is crucial for its application. In this work, a new electron distribution was achieved with dual-ligand connection and graphene oxide (GO) loading and the complex of dual-ligand 2D-MOF/GO (Co-IH/GO) exhibit faster electron transfer efficiency (Rct = 62.5) and more active sites (ID/IG = 1.01). Co-IH/GO demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic performance and achieved 100 % electrocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) within 10 min. In addition, superior properties of stability, temperature tolerance, and pH tolerance were achieved, after 5 cycles of degradation, the catalyst was able to maintain 100 % degradation efficiency, Capable of maintaining good degradation performance over a temperature range of 25 °C–45 °C and a wide pH range of pH = 5–11. Both experimental and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis results indicated that 1O2 acted as the dominant active substrate. With the involvement of Cl− in marine wastewater, activated chlorine was also generated during the reaction, which contributed to fast BPA degradation. Furthermore, the established dual-ligand 2D-MOF/GO electrocatalytic system exhibited superior activity for the degradation of dyes and complex microflora, while the solar-driven degradation experiment shed light on the independence of fossil and stationary sources of energy.

In Situ Processing to Achieve High-Performance Epoxy Nanocomposites with Low Graphene Oxide Loading

Modifying the polymer matrix by nanoparticles can be a promising approach to improve the performance of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. Organic solvents are usually used for dispersing graphene oxide (GO) well in the polymer matrix. In this study, a green, facile, and efficient approach was developed to prepare epoxy/GO nanocomposites. In situ polymerization is used for synthesizing nanocomposites, eliminating the need for organic solvents and surfactants. By loading just 0.6 wt% of GO into the epoxy resin, Young’s modulus, tensile strength, and toughness improved by 38%, 46%, and 143%, respectively. Fractography analysis indicates smooth fracture surfaces of pure resin that changed to highly toughened fracture surfaces in this nanocomposite. Plastic deformation, crack pinning, and deflection contributed to improving the toughness of the nanocomposites. FTIR investigations show that amide bonding was created by the reaction of the carboxylic acid groups in GO with some amine groups in the curing agent during the dispersion processes.

Graphene Oxide-Enhanced and Dynamically Crosslinked Bio-Elastomer for Poly(lactic acid) Modification.

Being a bio-sourced and biodegradable polymer, polylactic acid (PLA) has been considered as one of the most promising substitutes for petroleum-based plastics. However, its wide application is greatly limited by its very poor ductility, which has driven PLA-toughening modifications to be a topic of increasing research interest in the past decade. Toughening enhancement is achieved often at the cost of a large sacrifice in strength, with the toughness-strength trade-off having remained as one of the main bottlenecks of PLA modification. In the present study, a bio-elastomeric material of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) crosslinked with sebacic acid (SA) and enhanced by graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles (NPs) was employed to toughen PLA with the purpose of simultaneously preserving strength and achieving additional functions. The even dispersion of GO NPs in ESO was aided by ultrasonication and guaranteed during the following ESO-SA crosslinking with GO participating in the carboxyl-epoxy reaction with both ESO and SA, resulting in a nanoparticle-enhanced and dynamically crosslinked elastomer (GESO) via a β-hydroxy ester. GESO was then melt-blended with PLA, with the interfacial reaction between ESO and PLA offering good compatibility. The blend morphology, and thermal and mechanical properties, etc., were evaluated and GESO was found to significantly toughen PLA while preserving its strength, with the GO loading optimized at ~0.67 wt%, which gave an elongation at break of ~274.5% and impact strength of ~10.2 kJ/m2, being 31 times and 2.5 times higher than pure PLA, respectively. Moreover, thanks to the presence of dynamic crosslinks and GO NPs, the PLA-GESO blends exhibited excellent shape memory effect and antistatic properties.

Influence of graphene oxide additives on the NF separation of triazine-based H2S scavenging compounds using advanced membrane technology

This work proposes an innovative approach for the membrane separation of spent and unspent H2S scavengers (SUS) derived from the application of MEA-triazine in offshore oil and gas production. Modified nanofiltration membranes were fabricated by incorporating graphene oxide (GO) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) into a thin film composite (TFC) to obtain a thin film nanocomposite (TFN) with enhanced permeability. In addition, various immobilization strategies for GO were investigated. The performance of the membranes and the effect of the GO loading were evaluated in terms of permeability, fouling propensity, and rejection of key components of the SUS, i.e., MEA-triazine (unspent scavenger), dithiazine (spent scavenger), and monoethanolamine, operating on a sample of SUS wastewater obtained from an offshore oil and gas platform. Various characterization techniques, such as contact angle, FTIR, XRD, SEM, TGA, and AFM, were employed to evaluate the structure, composition, and hydrophilicity of the membrane. The results show a remarkable increase in permeability (from 0.22 Lm-2 h−1 bar−1 for the TFC to 5.8 Lm-2 h−1 bar−1 for the TFN membranes), due to the enhanced hydrophilicity from GO incorporation. The strong interfacial interaction between GO and PVA within the TFN membrane results in negligible nanofiller leaching. The incorporation of GO moderately increases the rejection of the unspent scavenger (63%–73%, 62%–79%, 62%–80%, and 68%–76%), while drastically increasing the rejection of the spent scavenger, which is approximately null for the TFC membrane without GO and increases up to 58% in the TFN membrane with GO. Therefore, while the proposed membranes cannot be used for the selective separation of the unspent form the spent scavenger, they can achieve substantial recovery of all the key components contained in the SUS to avoid their discharge into the sea.

Green and Heavy-Duty Anticorrosion Coatings: Waterborne Epoxy Thermoset Composites Modified through Variation of Zinc Dust Loading and Incorporation of Amine-Capped Aniline Trimer and Graphene Oxide.

In this study, an array of environmentally friendly and heavy-duty anticorrosion composite coatings were prepared. The synthesis involved amine-capped aniline trimer (ACAT) produced by an oxidative coupling reaction and graphene oxide (GO) prepared based on Hummer's method, and later, the waterborne epoxy thermoset composite (WETC) coatings were prepared by thermal ring-opening polymerization of EP 147w, a commercial waterborne epoxy resin, in the presence of ACAT and/or GO with zinc dust (ZD). A synergistic effect was observed by replacing a significant amount of the ZD loading in the WETC by simultaneously incorporating a small amount of ACAT and GO. The electrochemical corrosion measurements of the as-prepared WETC coatings indicated that incorporating 5% w/w ACAT or 0.5% w/w GO separately replaced approximately 30% w/w or 15% w/w of the ZD, respectively. Moreover, the WETC coatings containing 5% w/w ACAT and 0.5% w/w GO simultaneously were found to replace 45% w/w of the ZD. A salt spray test based on ASTM B-117 also showed a consistent trend with the electrochemical results. Incorporating small amounts of ACAT and GO in WETC coatings instead of ZD not only maintains the anticorrosion performance but also enhances adhesion and abrasion resistance, as demonstrated by the adhesion and abrasion tests.

Preparation of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)/graphene oxide (GO) polymeric composites for the selective removal of lead ions (Pb(II)) in water

AbstractLead pollution in water has risen globally, due to industrialization and globalization. In this study, this problem was addressed by preparing poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)/graphene oxide (GO) composites and addressing their effectiveness in absorbing water, and adsorbing Pb(II) ions in water. In water absorption studies, increasing the GO content to above 1 wt.% (3 and 5 wt.%) resulted in the degradation of the composites. All blends, and composites with 1 wt.% GO loading showed good water intake properties, with the composites having the highest. Pb (II) ion intake analyses showed that all the materials adsorb Pb(II) ions significantly in 24 h contact time, but the composites with 1 wt.% GO loadings adsorbed the greatest (81.3%–86.5%). For the effect of pH on adsorption, the adsorption of Pb(II) ions increased with an increase in pH from acidic to basic. This was attributed to the abundance of hydroxyl ions in basic media, that will not compete with Pb(II) ions for adsorption sites. Conclusions were that the 49.5/49.5/1 w/w PLA/PHBV/GO composite was the most optimal adsorbent of Pb(II). This composite could be used in industrial water purification processes like membranes, to remove lead ions from water while conserving the environment.Highlights Melt mixed PLA/PHBV/GO composites for removing lead ions from water. 1 wt.% GO contents in the composites sufficiently absorbed water. 3 and 5 wt.% GO contents resulted in the hydrolytic degradation of composites. Contact time is directly proportional to the degree of lead ion adsorption. Basic pH media resulted in the optimal adsorption of lead ions from water.

The role of organic solvent and nano-additives loading in preparing and characterizing graphene oxide based polystyrene nanocomposites

ABSTRACT In this work, two types of organic solvents: namely, dimethylformamide (DMF) and tetrahydrofuran (THF); were investigated individually to prepare graphene oxide (GO) based polystyrene (PS) nanocomposites. Both were effective exfoliation agents for GO nano-sheets using sonication process. However, DMF showed poor solubility for PS beads compared to THF due to its high boiling point, poor volatility, and the prevailing monomer–monomer interaction rather than monomer–solvent interaction. Hot pressing was not an efficient preparatory approach for those samples prepared by DMF. Hence, solution casting, and THF were adopted to prepare PS and its GO-based nanocomposites. (0.5 and 1.0) wt. % of GO were dispersed homogeneously in PS using different dispersive techniques. Range of properties were tested for the pure polymer and its GO-based nanocomposites prepared by THF. A good dispersion of GO nano-sheets in PS was observed by different microscopic techniques. A significant improvement of mechanical and thermo-mechanical (storage modulus) performances for the polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) were achieved compared to the pure polymer. Young’s modulus for PS/GO nanocomposites was improved by 122% and 143% for GO loadings of 0.5 and 1.0 wt. %; respectively, and storage modulus for the nanocomposites recorded a considerable promotion compared to the pure polymer.

Investigation of the structure-property relation for graphene oxide based acrylonitrile butadiene styrene nanocomposites

The improvement of the structure-property relation in nanocomposites between different polymer matrices and the embedded nano-additives has become a strategic blueprint for many academic counterparts around the globe. In this work, different loadings of graphene oxide (GO) varied from 1.0 to 3.0 wt. % were mixed with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) using solution casting approach. The resulted nanocomposites underwent to spectral, structural, morphological, mechanical, thermal and thermomechanical tests. Different kinds of instruments associated with each test were employed to draw a professional conclusion about the potential improvement in structure-property relation. The targeted improvement was achieved as spectral, structural and morphological investigations confirmed the interaction, structural variation, and good dispersion of GO in ABS; respectively. Furthermore, as GO loadings went higher, the mechanical, thermal, and thermomechanical performances for the nanocomposites were improved compared to the neat polymer. Young’s modulus, tensile strength, thermal decomposition, and visco-elastic properties showed an enhancement compared to the neat polymer. The mechanical and thermomechanical performances for the nanocomposites recorded significant promotions.

Development of biodegradable nanofiber filters based on surface-modified cellulose nanofibers with graphene oxide for high removal of airborne particulate matter

Airborne particulate matter is a pressing environmental and public health concern globally. This study aimed to develop sustainable filtration materials from cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) modified with graphene oxide (GO) to capture fine particulates from air effectively. CNFs were extracted from α-cellulose via mechanical grinding and modified with 0.5–1.5 wt% GO solution by ultrasonication to produce CNF-GO nanocomposites. These were freeze-dried into highly porous, lightweight aerogels for air filtration applications. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed GO incorporation through hydroxyl group interactions. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) revealed a porous 3D network with reduced porosity after GO addition due to pore blocking. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the cellulose I crystal structure was retained after modification. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurements indicated increased density but decreased surface area and pore volume with GO loading. The thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated improved thermal stability with GO incorporation due to oxidative reactions and a barrier effect. The particulate absorption efficiency markedly increased from 86.37 % to 99.98 % for CNFs modified with 1.5 wt% GO due to the high surface area, surface oxygen functionalities, and nanoplatelet morphology of GO. The nanofiber filters with 1.5 wt% GO exhibited a maximum absorption efficiency of 99.98 % and a quality factor of 0.0912 Pa−1. Although GO reduced biodegradability, substantial degradation occurred under soil conditions. Overall, the sustainable, high-efficiency CNF-GO air filters developed in this work demonstrate immense promise for controlling air pollution and protecting human health.