Polyimide (PI) nanocomposites containing alkyl functionalized grapheme oxide (A-GO) were successfully fabricated by in situ polymerization. The A-GO was synthesized through reaction with alkyl bromide and commercial grapheme oxide (n-GO) and investigated by XPS spectra, FT-IR spectra and TGA analysis. PI composites with various loadings of the fillers were prepared by the gradual thermal imidization of polyamic acid (PAA) precursor containing A-GO.  The mechanical properties of the A-GO/PI composites were improved compared with those of pure PI and n-GO/PI composites because of the homogeneous dispersion of A-GO by the interfacial non-covalent interaction (van der Waals force) between A-GO and the PI matrix. The tensile strength of the A-GO/PI composites with 0.5wt% of A-GO was increased by about 18% (121.0 � 10.9 MPa) improvement compared to that of pure PI. Tensile modulus of the A-GO/PI composites with 0.5wt% of APMWNT was improved by 45% (3.24 � 0.15 GPa) compared to that of pure PI.

Synthesis and applications of alkyl-functionalized graphene oxide/polyimide nanocomposites

248th National Meeting (2014)

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