pps proceeding - Abstract Preview
pps proceeding
Symposium: S06 - Polymer Blends and Composites
Oral Presentation
 
 

Highly Conductive Polymer Blends through Double Percolated Structure Produced by Self-assembly of Graphene Nanosheets in Dynamically Asymmetric LCST Blend

Kazem Farahzadi Setareh (1), Goharpey Fatemeh (1)*, Khademzadeh yeganeh Jafar (2), Heydarnejad Moghadam Mohammad (1)

(1) Amirkabir University of Technology - Tehran - Iran, (2) Qom University of Technology - Qom - Iran

In this study, we tried to produce conductive polymer blend samples phase separating by viscoelastic phase separation (VPS) upon addition of graphene nanosheets. Since VPS can produce a percolated network structure of the minor phase, if one uses conductive nanofillers with preferential affinity to the minor phase, a conductive polymer network can be produced by VPS at very low volume fractions of nanoparticles. We used a polystyrene/ poly (vinyl methyl ether) (PS/PVME) model phase-separating system, which exhibits a lower critical solution temperature within the experimental temperature window. The large difference in their glass transition temperatures (about 125 oC), makes their blends dynamically asymmetric; therefore, VPS can be induced in their mixtures. Phase contrast optical microscopy and SEM was employed to investigate morphological evolution of PS/PVME blend. Superhydrophobic graphene nanosheets were synthesized through modification and reduction of graphene oxide respectively using octadecylamine and hydroquinone. These superhydrophobic modified graphene sheets self-assemble in the bulk of PS-rich phase network structure induced by VPS (minor phase) during the phase separation. This leads to a high electrical conductivity through double percolation at a very low volume fraction of nanoparticles.