Epoxy Molecular Structure Alteration
in Graphene-Epoxy Nanocomposites:
Loading Effects
Borys M. Gorelov, Alla M. Gorb, Zbigniew Czapla, Sylwester Wacke,
A. Nadtochiy, Vasyl V. Kuryliuk, Marek Kostrzewa, Adam Ingram,
Oleksiy I. Polovina, and Nadia V. Sigareva
1 Introduction
Today, nanostructured graphene-filled polymer composites (G-PNCs) are promising
candidates for advanced materials with improved multifunctional properties such as
thermal-interface materials [1–5] or electromagnetic-interference shielding materials [6–10]. Among various nanofillers, graphene and its derivatives (namely,
graphene oxide, functionalized graphene, functionalized graphene oxide, graphene
nanoplatelets, etc.) are one of the most actively studied nanofillers for different types
of polymers [11, 12].
In recent years, physical properties of graphene-based epoxy nanocomposites
are in a scope of various studies. The incorporation of graphene or its derivatives in
epoxy matrix has been extensively studied for lowering thermal expansion coefficient
[13], improving glass transition temperature (T g ) [14–16], thermal stability [17], and
thermal conductivity [18–24].
On the whole, it should be noted that results obtained by various authors are
contradictory due to using various epoxy systems cured with different hardeners. For
example, both increasing T g [14–16] and its decreasing [25, 26] have been observed.
Today, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, and aromatic amines are all employed widely as
hardeners for epoxy resins [27–29]. The low equivalent weights of the aliphatic
polyamines such as polyethylene polyamines (PEPAs) give tightly cross-linked
B. M. Gorelov · N. V. Sigareva
Chuiko Institute of Surface Chemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv,
Ukraine
A. M. Gorb (B) · A. Nadtochiy · V. V. Kuryliuk · O. I. Polovina
Departments of Physics, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
e-mail: g_alla@ukr.net
Z. Czapla · S. Wacke · M. Kostrzewa · A. Ingram
Department of Physics, Opole University of Technology, Opole, Poland
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
O. Fesenko and L. Yatsenko (eds.), Nanomaterials and Nanocomposites,
Nanostructure Surfaces, and Their Applications, Springer Proceedings
in Physics 246, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51905-6_33
459
in Graphene-Epoxy Nanocomposites:
Loading Effects
Borys M. Gorelov, Alla M. Gorb, Zbigniew Czapla, Sylwester Wacke,
A. Nadtochiy, Vasyl V. Kuryliuk, Marek Kostrzewa, Adam Ingram,
Oleksiy I. Polovina, and Nadia V. Sigareva
1 Introduction
Today, nanostructured graphene-filled polymer composites (G-PNCs) are promising
candidates for advanced materials with improved multifunctional properties such as
thermal-interface materials [1–5] or electromagnetic-interference shielding materials [6–10]. Among various nanofillers, graphene and its derivatives (namely,
graphene oxide, functionalized graphene, functionalized graphene oxide, graphene
nanoplatelets, etc.) are one of the most actively studied nanofillers for different types
of polymers [11, 12].
In recent years, physical properties of graphene-based epoxy nanocomposites
are in a scope of various studies. The incorporation of graphene or its derivatives in
epoxy matrix has been extensively studied for lowering thermal expansion coefficient
[13], improving glass transition temperature (T g ) [14–16], thermal stability [17], and
thermal conductivity [18–24].
On the whole, it should be noted that results obtained by various authors are
contradictory due to using various epoxy systems cured with different hardeners. For
example, both increasing T g [14–16] and its decreasing [25, 26] have been observed.
Today, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, and aromatic amines are all employed widely as
hardeners for epoxy resins [27–29]. The low equivalent weights of the aliphatic
polyamines such as polyethylene polyamines (PEPAs) give tightly cross-linked
B. M. Gorelov · N. V. Sigareva
Chuiko Institute of Surface Chemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv,
Ukraine
A. M. Gorb (B) · A. Nadtochiy · V. V. Kuryliuk · O. I. Polovina
Departments of Physics, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
e-mail: g_alla@ukr.net
Z. Czapla · S. Wacke · M. Kostrzewa · A. Ingram
Department of Physics, Opole University of Technology, Opole, Poland
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
O. Fesenko and L. Yatsenko (eds.), Nanomaterials and Nanocomposites,
Nanostructure Surfaces, and Their Applications, Springer Proceedings
in Physics 246, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51905-6_33
459