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Open AccessArticle
The Influence of a Commercial Few-Layer Graphene on Electrical Conductivity, Mechanical Reinforcement and Photodegradation Resistance of Polyolefin Blends
by
S. M. Nourin Sultana
S. M. Nourin Sultana 1,
Emna Helal
Emna Helal 1,2,
Giovanna Gutiérrez
Giovanna Gutiérrez 2,
Eric David
Eric David 1,
Nima Moghimian
Nima Moghimian 2 and
Nicole R. Demarquette
Nicole R. Demarquette 1,*
1
Mechanical Engineering Department, Ecole de Technologie Superieure, 1100 Notre-Dame Street West, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
2
NanoXplore Inc., 4500 Thimens Blvd, Saint-Laurent, QC H4R 2P2, Canada
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Crystals 2024, 14(8), 687; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14080687 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 12 June 2024
/
Revised: 20 July 2024
/
Accepted: 24 July 2024
/
Published: 27 July 2024
Abstract
This work demonstrates the potentials of a commercially available few-layer graphene (FLG) in enhancing the electro-dissipative properties, mechanical strength, and UV protection of polyolefin blend composites; interesting features of electronic packaging materials. Polyethylene (PE)/ polypropylene (PP)/ FLG blend composites were prepared following two steps. Firstly, different concentrations of FLG were mixed with either the PE or PP phases. Subsequently, in the second step, this pre-mixture was melt-blended with the other phase of the blend. FLG-filled composites were characterized in terms of electrical conductivity, morphological evolution upon shear-induced deformation, mechanical properties, and UV stability of polyolefin blend composites. Premixing of FLG with the PP phase has been observed to be a better mixing strategy to attain higher electrical conductivity in PE/PP/FLG blend composite. This observation is attributed to the influential effect of FLG migration from a thermodynamically less favourable PP phase to a favourable PE phase via the PE/PP interface. Interestingly, the addition of 4 wt.% (~2 vol.%) and 5 wt.% (~2.5 vol.%) of FLG increased an electrical conductivity of ~10 orders of magnitude in PE/PP—60/40 (1.87 × 10−5 S/cm) and PE/PP—20/80 (1.25 × 10−5 S/cm) blends, respectively. Furthermore, shear-induced deformation did not alter the electrical conductivity of the FLG-filled composite, indicating that the conductive FLG network within the composite is resilient to such deformation. In addition, 1 wt.% FLG was observed to be sufficient to retain the original mechanical properties in UV-exposed polyolefin composites. FLG exhibited pronounced UV stabilizing effects, particularly in PE-rich blends, mitigating surface cracking and preserving ductility.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Sultana, S.M.N.; Helal, E.; Gutiérrez, G.; David, E.; Moghimian, N.; Demarquette, N.R.
The Influence of a Commercial Few-Layer Graphene on Electrical Conductivity, Mechanical Reinforcement and Photodegradation Resistance of Polyolefin Blends. Crystals 2024, 14, 687.
https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14080687
AMA Style
Sultana SMN, Helal E, Gutiérrez G, David E, Moghimian N, Demarquette NR.
The Influence of a Commercial Few-Layer Graphene on Electrical Conductivity, Mechanical Reinforcement and Photodegradation Resistance of Polyolefin Blends. Crystals. 2024; 14(8):687.
https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14080687
Chicago/Turabian Style
Sultana, S. M. Nourin, Emna Helal, Giovanna Gutiérrez, Eric David, Nima Moghimian, and Nicole R. Demarquette.
2024. "The Influence of a Commercial Few-Layer Graphene on Electrical Conductivity, Mechanical Reinforcement and Photodegradation Resistance of Polyolefin Blends" Crystals 14, no. 8: 687.
https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14080687
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