The use of solvents in epoxy/graphene conductive materials

Abstract

The influences of graphene nanofiller on physical, electrical and mechanical properties of epoxy composite were investigated. Epoxy was loaded with different content of graphene 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 vol% via isolated method of mechanical mixing and ultrasonication. The addition of graphene has lead to a slight increased in physical and electrical properties. Also addition of graphene nanofiller has lead to improvement of mechanical properties of composite such as flexural modulus and fracture toughness, except for flexural strength. Graphene nanofillers agglomerates in epoxy matrix brought to cracks along the epoxy/graphene interface causing decrement of flexural strength with increasing of graphene loading. Furthermore, the optimum of graphene content in epoxy composite was determined at 0.8 vol% of graphene was added into epoxy composite. Graphene tends to aggregate in epoxy matrix due to the strong van der Waals force on dispersed graphene surface. Thus, Ethanol, Phenyl Glycidyl Ether (PGE) and Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS) have been selected as dispersion solvent to disperse graphene nanofiller. The dispersion solvent was then undergone evaporation for solvent removing purpose. Properties of dispersion solvent incorporated in epoxy/graphene composite with and without solvent removing were investigated. In overall, Ethanol showed better dispersion effect than PGE and SDS because Ethanol-dispersed sample showed the highest flexural properties and electrical properties.