Three-dimensional interconnected graphene architecture reinforced epoxy composite with superior mechanical and tribological properties

Abstract

The tribological performances reinforcement is limited by insufficient dispersion and random orientation of nanofillers in composites. In light of above difficulties, a three-dimensional (3D) interconnected graphene architecture (3DGA) was designed, in which the reinforcement is pre-formed in three dimensions. In the 3DGA reinforced epoxy composite (3DGA/EP) fabricated by resin transfer molding combined with in-situ ultrasonic method, 3DGA assembling from graphene sheets was in good dispersion and distribution state, which resulted in exceptional thermal stability, mechanical and tribological properties for epoxy composites. Compared with graphene oxide (GO)/EP composites in direct solution blending, glass transition temperature and tensile strength of the 3DGA/EP composites increased by 27.1 °C and 41.1 %, and wear rate decreased by 38.1 %, respectively. In this work, 3DGA was utilized as the ordered reinforcement of composites instead of two-dimensional graphene sheets, providing a promising strategy to achieve high-performance polymer-based composites with superior mechanical and tribological properties.

Keywords

• Three-dimensional reinforcement
• Mechanical testing
• Surface analysis
• Resin transfer moulding (RTM)