Effect of graphene nanoplatelets thickness on strain sensitivity of nanocomposites: A deeper theoretical to experimental analysis

Conductive epoxy nanocomposites were prepared using two different thickness graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) as reinforcement, H25 and M25. In both cases, 3 and 5 wt % GNPs was dispersed into the matrix by means of sonication and calandering processes. The piezoresistive mechanisms of these GNPs/epoxy...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Sánchez Martínez, María, Moriche Tirado, Rocío, Sánchez Romate, Xoan F., González Prolongo, Silvia, Rams, Joaquín, Ureña Fernández, Alejandro
Format: article
Status:Versión aceptada para publicación
Publication Date:2019
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
Repository:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
OAI Identifier:oai:idus.us.es:11441/152522
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/11441/152522
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2019.107697
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:A. Nano composites
A. Smart materials
B. Electrical properties
C. Modelling
Description
Summary:Conductive epoxy nanocomposites were prepared using two different thickness graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) as reinforcement, H25 and M25. In both cases, 3 and 5 wt % GNPs was dispersed into the matrix by means of sonication and calandering processes. The piezoresistive mechanisms of these GNPs/epoxy sensors were studied under tensile and flexural tests. Under tensile loads, H25 nanocomposites, with 15 nm thickness, have a lower sensitivity at low strains and higher at high strains than M25 ones, with 6 nm thickness. This apparently anomalous behavior is explained under the basis of a theoretical model where two types of contacts between GNPs are considered. H25 nanocomposites show a prevalence of type I tunneling mechanisms at low strains and a prevalence of type II contacts at high strains, explaining this more pronounced exponential effect of the electrical resistance. In case of flexural tests, tensile and compressive subjected faces were monitored separately. Lower values of sensitivity than in tensile tests were observed due to the influence of breakage and creation of electrical pathways, showing a similar trend at low and high strains for H25 and M25 nanocomposites.