Evaluation of mechanical and thermal properties of microwave irradiated poly (styrene-co-methyl methacrylate)/graphene nanocomposites

Poly (styrene-co-methyl methacrylate) (P(S-co-MMA)) was blended with pristine graphene (G) by melt mixing technique and treated under microwave irradiation. The nanocomposites were irradiated for 5 and 10 min at frequency 1245 MHz. Structure changes in the irradiated nanocomposites were observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The irradiated composites showed a significant increase in the storage modulus i.e. 21% for 0.1% and 31% for 1% graphene polymer composites after 5 min irradiation. However at higher irradiation (10 min), degradation of nanocomposites was observed. The concept of improvement of interfacial interaction between graphene and P(S-co-MMA) chains at 5-min microwave exposure and degradation of nanocomposites at higher irradiation duration was assessed and supported by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.