Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fabrication of electrically conductive graphene/polystyrene composites via a combination of latex and layer-by-layer assembly approaches

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Due to its excellent physical properties, graphene acting as reinforcing fillers has attracted intense interests. To achieve a controlled distribution, the formation of a conductive network composed of graphene sheets within polymer matrix is of critical importance. In this work, polystyrene (PS) microspheres wrapped by graphene oxide (GO) sheets were prepared via layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of oppositely charged GO sheets onto PS microspheres. The deposited GO was then reduced, and the composite films with a graphene conductive network were prepared by hot pressing. The morphology of graphene conductive network was studied, and the thermal and electrical properties of the composite films were measured. The as-prepared composites showed an improved thermal stability as well as electrical conductivity with a percolation threshold as low as 0.2 vol%. The combination of latex technology and LBL self-assembly method thus demonstrated an efficient and facile approach to fabricate electrically conductive graphene/polymer composites.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

FIG. 1.
FIG. 2.
FIG. 3.
FIG. 4.
FIG. 5.
FIG. 6.
FIG. 7.
FIG. 8.
FIG. 9.
FIG. 10.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. C.N.R. Rao, A.K. Sood, K.S. Subrahmanyam, and A. Govindaraj: Graphene: The new two-dimensional nanomaterial. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 48(42), 7752 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. J.C. Meyer, A.K. Geim, M.I. Katsnelson, K.S. Novoselov, T.J. Booth, and S. Roth: The structure of suspended graphene sheets. Nature 446(7131), 60 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. D.R. Dreyer, S.J. Park, C.W. Bielawski, and R.S. Ruoff: The chemistry of graphene oxide. Chem. Soc. Rev. 39(1), 228 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. T.N. Zhou, F. Chen, C.Y. Tang, H.W. Bai, Q. Zhang, H. Deng, and Q. Fu: The preparation of high performance and conductive poly (vinyl alcohol)/graphene nanocomposite via reducing graphite oxide with sodium hydrosulfite. Compos. Sci. Technol. 71(9), 1266 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. K. Liu, L. Chen, Y. Chen, J.L. Wu, W.L. Zhang, F. Chen, and Q. Fu: Preparation of polyester/reduced graphene oxide composites via in situ melt polycondensation and simultaneous thermo-reduction of graphene oxide. J. Mater. Chem. 21(24), 8612 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. X.Y. Qi, D. Yan, Z.G. Jiang, Y.K. Cao, Z.Z. Yu, F. Yavari, and N. Koratkar: Enhanced electrical conductivity in polystyrene nanocomposites at ultra-low graphene content. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 3(8), 3130 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. H.B. Zhang, W.G. Zheng, Q. Yan, Y. Yang, J.W. Wang, Z.H. Lu, G.Y. Ji, and Z.Z. Yu: Electrically conductive polyethylene terephthalate/graphene nanocomposites prepared by melt compounding. Polymer 51(5), 1191 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. S. Stankovich, D.A. Dikin, G.H.B. Dommett, K.M. Kohlhaa, E.J. Zimney, E.A. Stach, R.D. Piner, S.T. Nguyen, and R.S. Ruoff: Graphene-based composite materials. Nature 442(7100), 282 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. M. Quintana, K. Spyrou, M. Grzelczak, W.R. Browne, P. Rudolf, and M. Prato: Functionalization of graphene via 1, 3-dipolar cycloaddition. ACS Nano 4(6), 3527 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. S. Stankovich, R.D. Piner, S.T. Nguyen, and R.S. Ruoff: Synthesis and exfoliation of isocyanate-treated graphene oxide nanoplatelets. Carbon 44(15), 3342 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. M Peng, D Li, Y Chen, and Q Zheng: Electrostatic-assembly of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and polymer particles in water: A facile approach to improve the dispersion of CNTs in thermoplastics. Macromol. Rapid Commun. 27(11), 859 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. J.C. Grunlan, A.R. Mehrabi, M.V. Bannon, and J.L. Bahr: Water-based single-walled-nanotube-filled polymer composite with an exceptionally low percolation threshold. Adv. Mater. 16(2), 150 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. S.A. Ju, K. Kim, J.H. Kim, and S.S. Lee: Graphene-wrapped hybrid spheres of electrical conductivity. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 3(8), 2904 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Y.X. Li, Z.Q. Wang, L. Yang, H. Gua, and G. Xue: Efficient coating of polystyrene microspheres with graphene nanosheets. Chem. Commun. 47(38), 10722 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. E. Tkalya, M. Ghislandi, A. Alekseev, C. Koninga, and J. Loos: Latex-based concept for the preparation of graphene-based polymer nanocomposites. J. Mater. Chem. 20(15), 3035 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. W.L. Zhang, Y.D. Liu, and H.J. Choi: Graphene oxide coated core–shell structured polystyrene microspheres and their electrorheological characteristics under applied electric field. J. Mater. Chem. 21(19), 6916 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. D.D. Kulkarni, I. Choi, S.S. Singamaneni, and V.V. Tsukruk: Graphene oxide–polyelectrolyte nanomembranes. ACS Nano 4(8), 4667 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. D.R. Wang and X.G. Wang: Self-assembled graphene/azo polyelectrolyte multilayer film and its application in electrochemical energy storage device. Langmuir 27(5), 2007 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. X. Zhao, Q.H. Zhang, Y.P. Hao, Y.Z. Li, Y. Fang, and D. Chen: Alternate multilayer films of poly(vinyl alcohol) and exfoliated graphene oxide fabricated via a facial layer-by-layer assembly. Macromolecules 43(22), 9411 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. J. Hong, K. Char, and B.S. Kim: Hollow capsules of reduced graphene oxide nanosheets assembled on a sacrificial colloidal particle. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 1(24), 3442 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. M.X. Tang, Y.J. Qin, Y.Y. Wang, and Z.X. Guo: Hollow carbon nanotube microspheres and hemimicrospheres. J. Phys. Chem. C 113(5), 1666 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. W.S. Hummers and R.E. Offeman: Preparation of graphitic oxide. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 80(6), 1339 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. V.H. Pham, T.V. Cuong, T.T. Dang, S.H. Hur, B.S. Kong, E.J. Kim, E.W. Shin, and J.S. Chung: Superior conductive polystyrene–chemically converted graphene nanocomposite. J. Mater. Chem. 21(30), 11312 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. L.M. Zhang, Z.X. Lu, Q.H. Zhao, J. Huang, H. Shen, and Z.J. Zhang: Enhanced chemotherapy efficacy by sequential delivery of siRNA and anticancer drugs using PEI-grafted graphene oxide. Small 7(4), 460 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. C.Z. Zhu, S.J. Guo, Y.X. Fang, and S.J. Dong: Reducing sugar: New functional molecules for the green synthesis of graphene nanosheets. ACS Nano 4(4), 2429 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. A. Jorio, E.H.M. Ferreira, M.V.O. Moutinho, F. Stavale, C.A. Achete, and R.B. Capaz: Measuring disorder in graphene with the G and D bands. Phys. Status Solidi B 247(11–12), 2980 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. P.B. Grady: Recent developments concerning the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in polymers. Macromol. Rapid Commun. 31(3), 247 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful for the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51125011) and “Shu Guang” project (Grant No. 09SG02) supported by Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and Shanghai Education Development Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Fan & Chao Zhang

  2. Department of Synthesis and Integration, Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 117602, Singapore

    Weng Weei Tjiu

  3. State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, People’s Republic of China

    Tianxi Liu

Authors
  1. Wei Fan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chao Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Weng Weei Tjiu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tianxi Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tianxi Liu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fan, W., Zhang, C., Tjiu, W.W. et al. Fabrication of electrically conductive graphene/polystyrene composites via a combination of latex and layer-by-layer assembly approaches. Journal of Materials Research 28, 611–619 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2012.437

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2012.437

Search

Navigation