The potential of using graphene nanoplatelets for electrically conductive compression-molded plates

This study aims to investigate the effect of using exfoliated graphene nanoplatelets (xgnp) on the electrical and mechanical properties of the composite plates of polypropylene (pp). synthetic graphite (sg),carbon nanotubes (cnts),and carbon black (cb) were used. the composites were prepared by,first,mixing the components by one of three different methods: direct mixing using internal mixer,ball milling then mixing,and milling only. the milled or mixed components were then compression molded into plates. the in-plane and through-plane electrical conductivity,flexural strength and modulus were measured and related to the morphologies of the fractured surfaces. among all composites,the direct mixed pp/sg/xgnp/cnt composites produced plates with the highest in-plane,through-plane conductivity and flexural strength. the control sample (pp/sg/cb) had the only plates which showed a higher flexural strength than the pp/sg/xgnp/cnt composites. for the composites containing cb,ball milling of the components is found to have a positive impact on electrical and mechanical properties. the use of xgnp as primary filler had a more pronounced effect on the properties of the composites containing cb than using it as a secondary filler and this is opposite to cnt composites. ball milled-mixed pp/xgnp/cb composites showed the highest in-plane and through-plane conductivity and a fair flexural strength. © 2015 jordan journal of mechanical and industrial engineering.