Graphene nanoplatelets as conductive fillers for strain sensing in epoxy nanocomposite

M. RALLINI; LEONEL MATIAS CHIACCHIARELLI; M. NATALI; D. PUGLIA; J. M. KENNY; L. TORRE

Conferencia; 5th Young Researchers ECNP Conference; 2012

In the last decade, the study of carbon-based fillers, such as carbon nanotubes, became more and more important because of the extraordinary properties they confer to the matrix in which they are embedded. However, the use of these nanofillers is often limited by the cost, their anisotropy and the high viscosity of the systems in which they are dispersed. Consequently, graphene nanoplatelets (as one or more layers) assumed a relevant role as a valid substitute of carbon nanotubes because they show the same properties with a lower viscosity of the blends and a lower cost1,2. Particularly it was demonstrated3,4 that it is possible to obtain a polymeric nanocomposite with enhanced electrical conductivity using exfoliated graphite instead of carbon nanotubes. These conductive materials can be employed in all the applications in which detecting the presence of strain accumulation and even the presence of any damages it is very important. A non-invasive and an inexpensive way to monitor damages is based on the use of a conductive coating on the external skin of the material. In this way the conductive strip can act as a detector of deformation also in fiber-reinforced composites with non-conducting fibers. So in this work we investigated the possibility to use graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) as a filler for epoxy nanocomposites in order to develop a conductive plastic material. This conductive nanocomposite was applied as a paint to the surface of a fibre reinforced composite material. The experimental results confirmed that the paint can act as a sensor and it is able to detect conductivity variations during the deformation also at low strain values.