There is intense interest in graphene in fields such as physics, chemistry, and materials science, among others. Interest in graphene's exceptional physical properties, chemical tunability, and potential for applications has generated thousands of publications and an accelerating pace of research, making review of such research timely. Here is an overview of the synthesis, properties, and applications of graphene and related materials (primarily, graphite oxide and its colloidal suspensions and materials made from them), from a materials science perspective.

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Graphene and Graphene Oxide: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Approaches, Derivatives and Applications Vasilios Georgakilas,† Michal Otyepka,‡ Athanasios B. Bourlinos,‡ Vimlesh Chandra, Namdong Kim, K. Christian Kemp, Pavel Hobza,‡,§,⊥ Radek Zboril,*,‡ and Kwang S. Kim* †Institute of Materials Science, NCSR “Demokritos”, Ag. Paraskevi Attikis, 15310 Athens, Greece ‡Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic Center for Superfunctional Materials, Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology, San 31, Hyojadong, Namgu, Pohang 790-784, Korea Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Flemingovo naḿ. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic

Functionalization of Graphene: Covalent and Non-Covalent Approaches, Derivatives and Applications

Graphene based materials: Past, present and future

Recent advances in graphene based polymer composites

Graphene has emerged as a subject of enormous scientific interest due to its exceptional electron transport, mechanical properties, and high surface area. When incorporated appropriately, these atomically thin carbon sheets can significantly improve physical properties of host polymers at extremely small loading. We first review production routes to exfoliated graphite with an emphasis on top-down strategies starting from graphite oxide, including advantages and disadvantages of each method. Then solvent- and melt-based strategies to disperse chemically or thermally reduced graphene oxide in polymers are discussed. Analytical techniques for characterizing particle dimensions, surface characteristics, and dispersion in matrix polymers are also introduced. We summarize electrical, thermal, mechanical, and gas barrier properties of the graphene/polymer nanocomposites. We conclude this review listing current challenges associated with processing and scalability of graphene composites and future perspectives f...

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Graphene/Polymer Nanocomposites

Recently developed strategies for isolating single-layer carbon sheets from graphite have enabled production of electrically conductive, mechanically robust polymer nanocomposites with enhanced gas barrier performance at extremely low loading. In this article, we present processing, morphology, and properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) reinforced with exfoliated graphite. For the first time, we compare carbon sheets exfoliated from graphite oxide (GO) via two different processes: chemical modification (isocyanate treated GO, iGO) and thermal exfoliation (thermally reduced GO, TRG), and three different methods of dispersion: solvent blending, in situ polymerization, and melt compounding. Incorporation of as low as 0.5 wt % of TRG produced electrically conductive TPU. Up to a 10-fold increase in tensile stiffness and 90% decrease in nitrogen permeation of TPU were observed with only 3 wt % iGO, implying a high aspect ratio of exfoliated platelets. Real- and reciprocal-space morphological characteri...

Graphene/Polyurethane Nanocomposites for Improved Gas Barrier and Electrical Conductivity

Processing-property relationships of polycarbonate/graphene composites

Nanocomposites reinforced with graphite platelets were compared to those with functionalized graphite sheets (FGS) prepared by partial pyrolysis of graphite oxide. Melt dispersion in poly(ethylene-2,6-naphthalate) (PEN) was quantified using a range of characterization techniques: electron microscopy, X-ray scattering, melt rheology, electrical conductivity, gas barrier, and mechanical properties. Conductivity percolation was obtained with as little as 0.3 vol % FGS, whereas 3 vol % was required for graphite. The threshold concentrations of FGS and graphite for rigidity percolation determined with melt rheology were in good agreement with conductivity percolation. Hydrogen permeability of PEN with 4 wt % FGS was decreased by 60% while the same amount of graphite reduced permeability only 25%. Structural differences between graphite and FGS were characterized with atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The highly exfoliated morphology of FGS was mainta...

Hyunwoo Kim

Papers

Graphene/Polymer Nanocomposites

Graphene/Polyurethane Nanocomposites for Improved Gas Barrier and Electrical Conductivity

Processing-property relationships of polycarbonate/graphene composites

Morphology and Properties of Polyester/Exfoliated Graphite Nanocomposites

Graphene/polyethylene nanocomposites: Effect of polyethylene functionalization and blending methods