Synergistic effects of graphene nanoplatelets in thermally conductive synthetic graphite filled polypropylene composite

摘要

Polypropylene (PP) was filled with synthetic graphite (SG) and graphene nanoplatelets (G) at different weight fractions. Composites were prepared by the melt mixing process by using a co-rotating twin screw extruder. Mechanical tests were carried out to determine tensile and flexural properties of composites. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis of composites was performed to determine their thermo-mechanical properties, such as storage modulus and loss modulus. Scanning Electron Microscopy was used to observe the fracture surfaces of the composites after tensile tests. The effect of SG and G on thermal properties such as melting and crystallization temperature, thermal conductivity, thermal stability, and coefficient of thermal expansion of PP was investigated. Tensile strength and flexural strength of PP increased with the addition of 10 wt% SG. The highest thermal conductivity achieved in this study at 50 wt% SG and 3 wt% G loading was 4.6 W/mK. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:277-287, 2019. (c) 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers