Significantly Enhancing Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Cellulose-Based Composites by Adding Small Amounts of Lysozyme-Modified Graphene Nanoplatelets via Forming Strong Double-Cross-Linked Interface Interactions

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2023 Sep 13;15(36):43159-43168. doi: 10.1021/acsami.3c08195. Epub 2023 Aug 31.

Abstract

Thermally conductive cellulose-based composites have great application potential in the thermal management of portable and wearable electronic devices. In this work, cellulose-based composites with excellent mechanical and thermal properties were developed by using lysozyme-modified graphene nanoplatelets (LmGNP), epichlorohydrin (ECH), and hydrolyzed cellulose via forming strong double-cross-linked interface interactions, including the hydrogen bond network generated between LmGNP and cellulose and the chemical cross-link of ECH. As for the composites containing 8 wt % LmGNP, the in-plane thermal conductivity was 3.341 W·m-1K-1, while the tensile stress was 114.60 MPa, which increased by 297.3 and 146.2%, respectively, compared to pure cellulose. Along with the good stability, insulation, and lightweight properties, the fabricated composites have the potential to become a promising heat dissipation material for wearable electronic devices.

Keywords: cellulose-based composites; double-cross-linked interface interactions; heat dissipation; mechanical properties; thermal conductivity.