Synthesis and Characterization of Functionalized Graphene/Low Density Polyethylene Nanocomposite Films

Abstract

This study compared the influence of different loading of graphene and functionalized graphene on the optical , thermal and mechanical properties of low density polyethylene (LDPE) films. Graphene oxide (GO) was modified by introducing -(2,3-epoxypropoxy) propytrimethoxysilane (KH-560) to obtain functionalized graphene oxide (FGO), then FGO was reduced by using hydrazine hydrate to prepare functionalized graphene(FG). FG/LDPE nanocomposite films and G/LDPE nanocomposite films were prepared by melt compounding and blow molding. The samples were characterized by using fourier transform infrared analysis (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) , field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) differential scanning calorimetry (DSC),etc. The results showed that siloxane of KH-560 grafted onto FG; the disorder of FG increased and the interlayer spacing between FG was also 1.8 times that of G; FG preferable dispersed in LDPE and agglomeration of FG was less; the improvement of FG on the optical, thermal and mechanical properties of the nanocomposite films was obvious. When the mass fraction of FG is 0.5%, crystallinity and elasticity modulus of the FG/LDPE nanocomposite films increased by 8.4% and 62% respectively.