Dramatic improvement in mechanical properties of GNs-reinforced HDPE nanocomposites

Abstract

Graphite nanosheets (GNs) modified with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) was prepared and then incorporated into high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The GNs/HDPE nanocomposites displayed pronounced enhancements of the mechanical properties. With a load of 10 wt % of the modified GNs, the nanocomposites exhibited an increase of about 290% in the elongation at break as well as an increase of about 14% in the elastic modulus in comparison with neat HDPE. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows a notable microscopic orientation of the matrix and GNs in the strained nanocomposite specimen, which may play an important role in the dramatic increase in the elongation at break. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.