Tom Nosker Graphene Composite Materials, LLC

1. Leading Edge Polymer-Graphene Composites
Automotive Lightweight Materials 2022
Thomas Nosker
Rutgers University, Materials Science and Engineering Department
607 Taylor Rd, Piscataway, NJ
March 30-31

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Graphite Graphene
Jeffrey R. Potts, Daniel R. Dreyer, Christopher W. Bielawski, and Rodney S. Ruoff,
“Graphene-based polymer nanocomposites”, Polymer 52 (2011).
Graphite-PMC Graphene-PMC
E = 1 TPa
E = ~20 GPa

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IDEA
• Try to develop technology to improve performance of polymer,
based on exfoliating the graphite in-situ in polymers. This
creates an almost magical bonding opportunity, according to
surface science teachings.
• Many layered materials have been used as inexpensive fillers
in polymers, but large increases in properties (5 times or
more) not very successfully achieved. New processing ideas
must be tried.
• It also might work in other layered materials.
• If it works, thermoforming, extrusion, injection molding might
work on the modified materials
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Graphene
• Strength: 130 GPa. Steel is at most
2.5GPa.
• Electron carrier density of 1012 cm−2 , more
than 10 6 greater than copper.
• Thermal conductivity of 2500 W⋅m −1 ⋅K −1 K,
Aluminum is 205.0 W⋅m −1 ⋅K −1 K
Stiffness (GPa)
Graphene 1000
Steel 200
Aluminum 69
Wood 8-11
PEEK 3
HDPE 1

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Potential for G-PMCs
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Current State of the Art (other labs) : Graphene-
PMCs
Minoo Naebe, Jing Wang, Abbas Amini, Hamid Khayyam, Nishar Hameed, Lu
Hua Li, Ying Chen & Bronwyn Fox, “Mechanical Property and Structure of
Covalent Functionalised Graphene/Epoxy Nanocomposites”, Scientific Reports, 4,
(2014). doi:10.1038/srep04375
No significant increase in modulus
Jeffrey R. Potts, Shanthi Murali, Yanwu Zhu, Xin Zhao, and Rodney S. Ruoff, “Microwave-
Exfoliated Graphite Oxide/Polycarbonate Composites”, Macromolecules, 44 (2011).

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Rutgers: Graphite to Graphene PMC
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Graphite Polymer
• In situ shear exfoliation of mined graphite within molten polymer
– Exfoliates graphite into graphene nano-flakes (GNF)
– Yields graphene-reinforced polymer matrix composites (G-PMC)
– Light weight, high performance composite
• Process is versatile, scalable, and low cost

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35 G-PEEK: Morphology
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35 G-PEEK
Surface Crystallization & Preferred Orientation
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35G-PEEK
Surface Crystallization & Preferred Orientation
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35G-PEEK: Transparent Graphene
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Adhesion within Exfoliated Graphene Composite
• High shear exfoliation show PPS adhering to edges and squeezing between the
graphene galleries.
• Elongated polymer regions indicative good adhesion the matrix has to graphene.

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Modulus Enhancement of 35G-PEEK
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
Tensile
Modulus
(GPa)
35G-PEEK Composite
Increasing degree of GNF exfoliation
PEEK
Low exfoliation
High exfoliation
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ASTM D 638 Type I

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G-PMC Mechanical Properties
0
5
10
15
20
25
HDPE PET PS PA66 PSU PPS PEEK
Tensile
Modulus
(GPa)
Polymer G-PMC
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• Process applicable to any thermoplastic
• Significant modulus enhancement
Fuel Tank

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Impact Resistance
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0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
Izod
Impact
Resistance
(J/m)
PEEK
Low exfoliation (H fracture)
High
exfoliation
Increasing degree of GNF exfoliation
30 CF-PEEK
*
ASTM D 256 - Notched * Solvay data for PEEK Ketaspire KT 820 NT and KT 820 CF30

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G-PET
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• Steady modulus enhancement with increasing wt. % Graphene Nanoflakes
• Increased yield stress and break stress properties with increasing wt. % Graphene
Nanoflakes

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G-PET
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• Steady modulus enhancement with increasing wt. % Graphene Nano-flakes
• Increased yield stress and break stress properties with increasing wt. % Graphene
Nanoflakes
• Neat PET impact strength is 2-8 kJ/m2
, dependent on grade. We used bottle
grade-3 kJ/m2.
• Higher properties on continuous (scaled up) machine.

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LLDPE
• With 15% G-PMC, Modulus at 1 Gpa
• Impact resistance at 900 J/M, twice the best of G-PEEK.
• This is less stiff, but can be foamed, or made into I beams, to
compensate, etc., and has VERY SIGNIFICANT energy
absorption. (Bumpers?)
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Potential Applications
• Aerospace and transportation
– Lightweight Vehicles, Boats, Aircraft
• Lightweight vehicular, personal electronics,
and sports equipment
– Helmets
– Bats, hockey sticks
– With thermal management benefits
– Cell phones, ipads
• Infrasructure systems
– Mid-span bridges
– Tactical bridges
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Conclusions
• An integrated process has been developed to efficiently and
inexpensively exfoliate graphite particles in molten polymers, and is
being scaled up
• Resulting G-PMCs
– Lightweight
– Low cost
– High specific modulus and strength
– Potential for good thermal and electrical conductivities
– Packaging applications could be broad, using millions of impermeable
graphene plates to create barriers to gas permeation in polymers.
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