Preparation, characterization, and terahertz spectroscopy characteristics of reduced graphene oxide-doped epoxy resin coating

Abstract

Reduced graphene oxide has attracted numerous interests due to its unique, superior electronic, optical, mechanical, and chemical properties. An epoxy resin with excellent mechanical and electrical properties can be obtained by doping with reduced graphene oxide to enhance the function of the polymer. Here, we prepared a uniform reduced graphene oxide/epoxy resin coating with a different reduced graphene oxide content and characterized it using a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Raman, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR). Furthermore, the spectral characteristics of the composite coating in the terahertz band were discussed. The cross-sectional SEM results show that a fold structure with ductile failure was intensively formed due to the compatibility of graphene and polymer materials. Both the Raman G and Raman 2D peaks of reduced graphene oxide were confirmed using Raman spectrum testing. The diffraction peak of reduced graphene oxide at 24◦ disappeared within the reduced graphene oxide/epoxy resin coating, and a wide diffraction peak of the amorphous structure was formed together. Additionally, the intensity of the Raman spectrum increased significantly with increased reduced graphene oxide content, thereby making the surface electrical resistance of the coatings decrease exponentially. Additionally, the intensity of the terahertz time-domain signal and frequency-domain power spectrum linearly reduced with increased reduced graphene oxide concentration. However, the terahertz absorption coefficient and refractive index both increased gradually with increased reduced graphene oxide doping due to increased orientation polarization in the composite coating.