Poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)-stabilized colloidal graphene-reinforced poly(ethylene-co-methyl acrylate) to mitigate electromagnetic radiation pollution

• Published in: Polymer bulletin (Berlin, Germany) Vol. 77; no. 6; pp. 2923 - 2943
• Main Authors: Ganguly, Sayan, Ghosh, Sabyasachi, Das, Poushali, Das, Tushar Kanti, Ghosh, Suman Kumar, Das, Narayan Chandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-06-2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Carbon; Cavitation; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Electrical resistivity; Electromagnetic interference; Electromagnetic radiation; Electromagnetic shielding; Ethylene; Frequency ranges; Graphene; Graphite; Mechanical properties; Microscopy; Molecular weight; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Organic Chemistry; Original Paper; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Polymers; Polyvinylpyrrolidone; Reducing agents; Silver; Soft and Granular Matter; Superhigh frequencies; Surfactants
• ISSN: 0170-0839; 1436-2449
• DOI: 10.1007/s00289-019-02892-y

Electrically conducting flexible polymeric nanocomposite has been fabricated through wet mixing method where conducting inclusion was acoustically exfoliated pristine graphene nanosheets. Colloidal graphene is the key component here which has been prepared by acoustic cavitation in the presence of macromolecular dispersion. The significance of the method is their green preparation strategy without using any chemical reducing agents and long self-life without drastic sedimentation rate. Thermoplastic poly(ethylene-co-methyl acrylate) was chosen as flexible phase where graphene sheets were distributed to make spatial conducting network architecture. The prepared nanocomposites showed 0.259 S/cm DC electrical conductivity and frequency-independent electroconducting character in higher concentration. The electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of the nanocomposites was around 30 dB in ~ 1.0 mm thickness in X-band (8.2–12.4 GHz) frequency range without affecting its mechanical toughness and flexibility. Thus, such pristine graphene-based thermoplastic matrix could be a desirable replacement of metallic shielding materials on the ground of flexible, conducting, lightweight characteristics.
Graphic abstract