Advanced polybenzoxazine structures based on modified reduced graphene oxide

Abstract

Two new polybenzoxazine products based on a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were synthesized. The synthesis process started with an rGO with amino functionalities. Benzoxazine structures were synthesized with oxazine rings attached to the surface of rGO and were fully characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, XPS and XRD. The presence of polybenzoxazine chains was pointed out by 1H-NMR and it correlated with XRD data which show a partial exfoliation of the graphene oxide layers. The degree of polymerization plays a significant role against the exfoliation process. A higher yield of the ring-opening process for benzoxazine rings leads to a low degree of exfoliation, as the inner covalent bonds within the polybenzoxazine chains keep the graphene oxide sheets together.