Relationship between the Microstructure and Performance of Graphene/Polyethylene Composites Investigated by Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy
Xiaobing Han,
Tao Chen,
Yuan Zhao,
Jie Gao,
Yanan Sang,
Houhua Xiong,
Zhiyuan Chen
Affiliations
Xiaobing Han
Hubei Key Laboratory of Radiation Chemistry and Functional Materials, School of Nuclear Technology and Chemistry & Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100, China
Tao Chen
Hubei Key Laboratory of Radiation Chemistry and Functional Materials, School of Nuclear Technology and Chemistry & Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100, China
Yuan Zhao
Hubei Key Laboratory of Radiation Chemistry and Functional Materials, School of Nuclear Technology and Chemistry & Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100, China
Jie Gao
Hubei Key Laboratory of Radiation Chemistry and Functional Materials, School of Nuclear Technology and Chemistry & Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100, China
Yanan Sang
Hubei Key Laboratory of Radiation Chemistry and Functional Materials, School of Nuclear Technology and Chemistry & Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100, China
Houhua Xiong
Hubei Key Laboratory of Radiation Chemistry and Functional Materials, School of Nuclear Technology and Chemistry & Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100, China
Zhiyuan Chen
Hubei Key Laboratory of Radiation Chemistry and Functional Materials, School of Nuclear Technology and Chemistry & Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100, China
The quantitative characterization of microstructure is most desirable for the establishment of structure-property relationships in polymer nanocomposites. In this work, the effects of graphene on the microstructure, mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of the obtained graphene/polyethylene (PE) composites were investigated. In order to reveal the structure-performance relationship of graphene/PE composites, especially for the effects of the relative free volume fraction (fr) and interfacial interaction intensity (β), positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) was employed for its quantitative description. The relative free volume fraction fr gives a good explanation of the variation for surface resistivity, melting temperature, and thermal stability, and the variation of tensile strength and thermal conductivity agree well with the results of interfacial interaction intensity β. The results showed that fr and β have a significant effect on the properties of the obtained graphene/PE composites, and the effect on the properties was revealed.
