Polypropylene and Graphene Nanocomposites: Effects of Selected 2D-Nanofiller’s Plate Sizes on Fundamental Physicochemical Properties

The authors developed a nanocomposite using polypropylene (PP) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) with melt mixing method. Virgin PP was filled three sets of GNPs fixed thickness (15 nm) surface area (50–80 m2/g). selected H-type had different sizes 5, 15 25 µm. nanocomposites were made by loading at 1, 2 3 wt.%. Mechanical analysis carried out performing tensile, flexural impact strength tests. crystalline, micro-structural, thermal dynamic mechanical properties assessed through XRD, FESEM, PLM, DSC, TGA DMA It observed that all types boosted the polymer composite. Increasing nanofiller size decreased tensile modulus, increased strength. Maximum (≈41.18 MPa) resulted for composite consisting wt.% H5, whereas maximum (≈50.931 (≈42.88 J/m) strengths holding H25. Graphene induced PP’s crystalline phases structure. An improvement in stability seen based on results onset degradation (TD) melting (Tm) temperatures. crystallization (Tc) temperatures, acted like nucleating agent. experimental indicated lateral plays an important role nanocomposite’s homogeneity. noted small-sized improved dispersion agglomeration. Thus overall, are preferable, increasing hardly establishes feasible characteristics nanocomposite.