NANOCOMPOSITE FIBRILS FROM GRAPHITENANOPLATELETS

摘要

This paper introduces a new reinforcement form for nanocomposites. Graphite nanoplateletsare produced by a chemical route using a low energy intercalation/exfoliation process providing analternative, low cost pathway to nanomaterials. In this process, graphite is heated to 200 oC in thepresence of potassium to form the first stage intercalation compound, KC8. Exfoliation in ethanol thencreates a dispersion of graphitic sheets. In a previous study, it has been shown that single-walledcarbon nanotubes (SWNT) can be dispersed in polymer solutions to form nanocomposite fibrils bythe electrospinning process. In order to achieve orientation and to facilitate processing and assessmentof the engineering properties of the nanosheets, the graphite nanoplatelets were dispersed in a 7 wt. %polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solution in N,N Dimethylformamide (DMF ) to form nanoscale fibrils by theelectrospinning process. The composite fibrils were characterized by Thermogravimetric Analysis(TGA), Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), andAtomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for samples consisting of 1-4 wt. % of graphite nanoplatelets(GNP).