Performance comparison of CVD grown carbon nanofiber based on single- and multi-layer graphene oxides in melt-compounded PA6.6 nanocomposites

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojcm.2019.92005

In the present study, newly design hybrid nanostructures were produced by growing long carbon nanofibers (CNF) on single- and multi-layer graphene oxide (GO) sheets in the presence of catalyst by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Chemical composition analysis indicated the formation of Fe-C bonds by the deposition of carbon atoms on catalyst surface of Fe2O3 and increasing in C/O atomic ratio confirming CNF growing. These hybrid additives were distributed homogeneously through polyamide 6.6 (PA6.6) chains by high shear thermokinetic mixer in melt phase. Spectroscopic studies showed that the differences in the number of graphene layer in hybrid structures directly affected the crystalline behavior and dispersion state in polymer matrix. Flexural strength and flexural modulus of PA6.6 nanocomposites were improved up to 14.7% and 14% by the integration of 0.5 wt% CNF grown on multi-layer GO, respectively, whereas there was a significant loss in flexural properties of single-layer GO based nanocomposites. Also, the integration of 0.5 wt% multi-layer GO hybrid reinforcement in PA6.6 provided a significant increase in tensile modulus about 24%. Therefore, multi-layer GO with CNF increased the degree of crystallinity in nanocomposites by forming intercalated structure and acted as a nucleating agent causing the improvement in mechanical properties.