Multiscale graphene oxide–carbon fiber reinforcements for advanced polyurethane composites. (August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jiang, Shuai; Li, Qifeng; Wang, Junwei; He, Zhenglong; Zhao, Yuhua; Kang, Maoqing
• Is Part Of: Composites. Volume 87(2016)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 9
• Publication Date: 2016-08
• Subjects: A. Carbon fibers -- A. Graphene -- A. Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs) -- B. Mechanical properties; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Manufacturing processes -- Periodicals; Composite materials; Manufacturing processes; Periodicals; 620.11805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2016.04.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-835X

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Abstract: Multiscale graphene oxide/carbon fiber (GO/CF) reinforcements were developed for polyurethane (PU) elastomer composites. GO was first coated on CF surface by electrophoretic deposition (EPD), aiming to improve the CF/PU interfacial adhesion. The EPD process improved the mechanical anchoring and chemical interaction between CFs and PU through increased surface roughness and oxygen content of CFs, thereby improved the CF/PU interfacial shear strength. The fibers were then mechanically mixed with GO to achieve a multiscale reinforcement. The strengthening of the matrix, especially the local stiffening of fiber/matrix interphase, is beneficial for the interfacial mechanical anchoring. The multiscale reinforcement resulted in an improvement of 46.4% in the tensile strength of PU elastomer. Compared with untreated-CF/PU, individual process of EPD treatment and mechanical mixing of GO resulted in an improvement of 16.9% and 13.9% of the strength, respectively. The enhanced reinforcing performance of GO-deposited CFs was attributed to the improved fiber–matrix interfacial adhesion.