Effect of modified graphene and microwave irradiation on the mechanical and thermal properties of poly(styrene-co-methyl methacrylate)/graphene nanocomposites

The effect of modified graphene (MG) and microwave irradiation on the interaction between graphene (G) and poly(styrene-co-methyl meth acrylate) [P(S-co-MMA)] polymer matrix has been studied in this article. Modification of graphene was performed using nitric acid. P(S-co-MMA) polymer was blended via melt blending with pristine and MG. The resultant nanocomposites were irradiated under microwave at three different time intervals (5, 10, and 20 min). Compared to pristine graphene, MG showed improved interaction with P(S-co-MMA) polymer (P) after melt mixing and microwave irradiation. The mechanism of improved dispersion and interaction of modified graphene with P(S-co-MMA) polymer matrix during melt mixing and microwave irradiation is due to the presence of oxygen functionalities on the surface of MG as confirmed from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The formation of defects on modified graphene and free radicals on P(S-co-MMA) polymer chains after irradiation as explained by Raman spectroscopy and X-Ray diffraction studies. The nanocomposites with 0.1 wt% G and MG have shown a 26% and 38% increase in storage modulus. After irradiation (10 min), the storage modulus further improved to 11.9% and 27.6% of nanocomposites. The glass transition temperature of nanocomposites also improved considerably after melt mixing and microwave irradiation (but only for polymer MG nanocomposite). However, at higher irradiation time (20 min), degradation of polymer nanocomposites occurred. State of creation of crosslink network after 10 min of irradiation and degradation after 20 min of irradiation of nanocomposites was confirmed from SEM studies.