Graphene / Carboxylated Nitrile Rubber Nanocomposites

Graphene exhibits high electrical conductivity, high Young's modulus, high ultimate strength, high thermal conductivity and high surface area, which allow them to be used as possible reinforcing materials for compsites to improve polymer's electronic, mechanical, and thermal properties.In this paper, graphene oxide was synthesized via oxidation of graphite (Hummers method), followed by ultrasonication and subsequent modification by SDS, CTAB and PSS. Masterbatch was prepared by mixing of the modified graphene oxide sheets, followed by their chemical reduction with hydrazine hydrate. After that, the graphene/XNBR composites were prepared through mechanical mixing with masterbatch and raw rubber. The characteristic of graphene oxide, modified graphene oxide, modified grphene and graphene were analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis, X-ray Diffraction, Raman Spectroscopy and Thermo Gravimetry. And the influence of cotent and modification of graphene on the electrical conductivity, mechanical and thermal properties of graphene/XNBR compsites were investigated. The results confirm graphene oxide can be prepared successfully by Hummers method followed by ultrasonication. Oxygen functional groups can be removed by reduction with hydrazine hydrate. The electrical conductivity of the masterbatch was improved with the increase of the cotent of graphene. Modification improved the electrical conductivity of the masterbatch. The subsequence of the value of the electrical conductivity of the masterbatch is as follows:PSS> CTAB> SDS> raw. After mechanical mixing, the electrical conductivity of the composites disappeared. The mechanical properties of graphene/XNBR compsites have been greatly improved after the addition of graphene. And graphene modified by CTAB gave the best performance attributed to the electrostatic force. Thermal stability was improved significantly. And thermal conductivity was improved, too.