Inclusion of graphene on LDPE properties

M Sabet; H Soleimani

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02053

Inclusion of graphene on LDPE properties

Heliyon. 2019 Jul 8;5(7):e02053. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02053. eCollection 2019 Jul.

Authors

M Sabet¹, H Soleimani²

Affiliations

¹ Universiti Teknologi Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.
² Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, Ipoh, Malaysia.

Abstract

The spread of graphene in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) improves LDPE/graphene nanocompounds' thermal/mechanical/electrical characteristics. The images of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) verify full graphene exfoliation at 1000 °C. Inclusion graphene develops crystallinity; increases the local order of lattice and thermal stability of LDPE/graphene nanocompounds. The consistent distributions and further inclusion of graphene caused the great heat breakdown strength, increasing heat breakdown activation energy and a superior melting point (Tm) for LDPE nanocompounds. Percolation occurs with the graphene incorporation of 0.5 wt%. The complex viscosity test showed Newtonian behavior for LDPE at a very low frequency. But, graphene inclusion to LDPE changed the viscosity performance from liquid-like to solid-like which caused a decrease in the melt flow rate (MFR) values for all LDPE/graphene nanocompounds.

Keywords: Characterization; Graphene; LDPE; Materials application; Materials property; Materials science; Nanocompounds; Nanomaterials; Nanotechnology; Tribology.