• Carbon letters
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.89-93
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• 2013

Size-sorted graphene nanoplatelets are highly desired for fundamental research and technological applications of graphene. Here we show a facile approach for fabricating size-sorted graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets by a simple centrifugal method using different dispersion solvents. We found that the small-sized GO nanoplatelets were more effectively separated when dispersed in water or dimethylformamide (DMF) than in an alkali aqueous solution. After several iterations of the centrifugation, the sizes of GO in the supernatant solution were mostly several micrometers. We found that the GO area was not strongly correlated with the C-O content of the GO dispersed in water. However, the size-sorted GO nanoplatelets in DMF showed different C-O content, since DMF can reduce GO nanoplatelets during exfoliation and centrifugation processes.

• Carbon letters
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• v.26
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• pp.81-87
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• 2018

Morphological differences in multi-layered graphene flakes or graphene nanoplatelets prepared by oxidative (rGO-NP, reduced graphene oxide-nanoplatelets) and non-oxidative (GIC-NP, graphite intercalation compound-nanoplatelets) routes were investigated with various analytical methods. Both types of NPs have similar specific surface areas but very different structural differences. Therefore, this study proposes an effective and simple method to identify structural differences in graphene-like allotropes. The adsorptive potential peaks of rGO-NP attained by the density functional theory method were found to be more scattered over the basal and non-basal regions than those of GIC-NP. Raman spectra and high resolution TEM images showed more distinctive crystallographic defects in the rGO-NP than in the GIC-NP. Because the R-ratio values of the edge and basal plane of the sample were maintained and relatively similar in the rGO-NP (0.944 for edge & 1.026 for basal), the discrepancy between those values in the GIC-NP were found to be much greater (0.918 for edge & 0.164 for basal). The electrical conductivity results showed a remarkable gap between the rGO-NP and GIC-NP attributed to their inherent morphological and crystallographic properties.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.209-214
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• 2012

In this work, the reduced graphene nanosheets were synthesized from pre-exfoliated graphite flakes. The pristine graphite flakes were firstly pre-exfoliated to graphite nanoplatelets in the presence of acetic acid. The obtained graphite nanoplatelets were treated by Hummer's method to produce graphite oxide sheets and were finally exfoliated to graphene nanosheets by ultrasonication and reduction processes. The prepared graphene nanosheets were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). From the results, it was found that the preexfoliation process showed significant influence on preparation of graphite oxide sheets and graphene nanosheets. The prepared graphene nanosheets were applied to the preparation of conductive materials, which yielded a greatly improved electrical resistance of $200{\Omega}/sq$.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.263-273
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• 2023

This paper investigates dynamic characteristics of a graphene nanoplatelets reinforced composite (GNPRC) sandwich doubly curved shell based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) and Hamilton's principle. The sandwich doubly curved shell is fabricated from a core made of honeycomb materials sandwiched by composite GNPs reinforced face-sheets. Effective materials properties of composite face-sheets are assumed to vary based on Halpin-Tsai micromechanical models and rule of mixture. Furthermore, the material properties of honeycomb core are estimated using Gibson's formula. The fundamental frequencies of the shell are computed with changes of main geometrical and material properties such as amount and distribution type of graphene nanoplatelets, side length ratio, thickness to length ratio of and side length ratio of honeycomb. The Navier's technique is presented to obtain responses. Accuracy and trueness of the present model and analytical solution is confirmed through comparison of the results with available results in literature. It is concluded that an increase in thickness to length ratio yields a softer core with lower natural frequencies. Furthermore, increase in height to length ratio leads to significant decrease in natural frequencies.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.63-75
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• 2024

In this paper, the modified couple stress theory (MCST) and first order shear deformation theory (FSDT) are employed to investigate the free vibration and bending analyses of a three-layered micro-shell sandwiched by piezoelectric layers subjected to an applied voltage and reinforced graphene nanoplatelets (GPLs) under external and internal pressure. The micro-shell is resting on an elastic foundation modeled as Pasternak model. The mixture's rule and Halpin-Tsai model are utilized to compute the effective mechanical properties. By applying Hamilton's principle, the motion equations and associated boundary conditions are derived. Static/ dynamic results are obtained using Navier's method. The results are validated with the previously published works. The numerical results are presented to study and discuss the influences of various parameters on the natural frequencies and deflection of the micro-shell, such as applied voltage, thickness of the piezoelectric layer to radius, length to radius ratio, volume fraction and various distribution pattern of the GPLs, thickness-to-length scale parameter, and foundation coefficients for the both external and internal pressure. The main novelty of this work is simultaneous effect of graphene nanoplatelets as reinforcement and piezoelectric layers on the bending and vibration characteristics of the sandwich micro shell.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.502-509
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• 2014

Carbon-based nanoplatelets such as graphene oxide (GO) sheets and graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs) are frequently used as conductive nanofillers for polymer nanocomposites. In this study, polystyrene (PS)/GO and PS/GNP nanocomposites were prepared through a latex technology and investigated to compare the effect of nanofillers on rheological and electrical properties of the PS nanocomposites. PS particles were prepared by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization and GO was synthesized by using the modified Hummers' method from graphite. Hydrophilic GO was dispersed in aqueous PS suspension, but hydrophobic GNPs were dispersed with the help of a surfactant. In comparison with PS/GO nanocomposites, the rheological properties of PS/GNP counterparts were not too high because GNP existed in aggregates of graphene layers. Conducting pathways of PS/GO and PS/GNP nanocomposites were achieved at the electrical percolation threshold of 0.50 and 5.82 wt%, respectively. The reason for enhanced electrical conductivity in PS/GO nanocomposites is that GO was thermally reduced during molding.

• Carbon letters
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• v.25
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• pp.60-67
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• 2018

In the present work, capability of thymolphthalein-grafted graphene oxide, which was successfully synthesized in this study, in stabilization of polypropylene against thermal oxidation were investigated and compared with that of SONGNOX 1010, a commercially used phenolic antioxidant for the polymer. The modified graphene oxide were incorporated into polypropylene via melt mixing. State of distribution of the nanoplatelets in the polymer matrix was examined using scanning electron microscopy and was shown to be homogeneous. Measurements of oxidation onset temperature and oxidative induction time revealed that thymolphthalein-grafted graphene oxide modifies thermo-oxidative stability of the polymer in the melt state remarkably. However, the efficiency of the nanoplatelets in stabilization of polypropylene against thermal oxidation in melt state was shown to be inferior to that of SONGNOX 1010. Furthermore, oven ageing experiments followed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the modified graphene oxide improves thermo-oxidative stability of the polymer strongly in the solid state, so that its stabilization efficiency is comparable to that of SONGNOX 1010.

• Carbon letters
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2015

In this study, in order to improve the thermal and electrical properties of epoxy/graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), surface modifications of GNPs are conducted using silane coupling agents. Three silane coupling agents, i.e. 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)-ethyltrimethoxysilane (ETMOS), 3-glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane (GPTS), and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS), were used. Among theses, GPTMS exhibits the best modification performance for fabricating GNP-incorporated epoxy composites. The effect of the silanization is evaluated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The electrical and thermal conductivities are characterized. The epoxy/silanized GNPs exhibits higher thermal and electrical properties than the epoxy/raw GNPs due to the improved dispersion state of the GNPs in the epoxy matrix. The TEM microphotographs and Turbiscan data demonstrate that the silane molecules grafted onto the GNP surface improve the GNP dispersion in the epoxy.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.457-471
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• 2024

In this research, for the first time the instability boundaries for a spinning shaft reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets undergone the principle parametric resonance are determined and examined taking into account the gyroscopic effect. In this respect, the extracted equations of motion in our previous research (Ref. Asadi et al. (2023)) are implemented and efficiently upgraded. In the upgraded discretized equations the effect of the Rayleigh's damping and the varying spinning speed is included that leads to a different dynamical discretized governing equations. The previous research was about the free vibration analysis of spinning graphene-based shafts examined by an eigen-value problem analysis; while, in the current research an advanced mechanical analysis is addressed in details for the first time that is the dynamics instability of the aforementioned shaft subjected to the principal parametric resonance. The spinning speed of the shaft is considered to be varied harmonically as a function of time. Rayleigh's damping effect is applied to the governing equations in order to regard the energy loss of the system. Resorting to Bolotin's route, Floquet theory and β-Newmark method, the instability region and its accompanied boundaries are defined. Accordingly, the effects of the graphene nanoplatelet on the instability region are elucidated.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.97-114
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• 2023

The nonlocal strain gradient theory for the static bending analysis of graphene nanoplatelets (GPLs) reinforced the nanoplate is developed in this paper. The nanoplatelet is exposed to thermo-mechanical loads and is also supposed to stand on an elastic foundation. For computing impressive composite material characteristics, the Halpin-Tsai model is selected for various sectors. The various distributions are propounded including UD, FG-O, and FG-X. The represented equations are acquired based on the virtual work and sinusoidal shear and normal deformation theory (SSNDT). Navier's solution as the analytical method is applied to solve these equations. Furthermore, the effects of GPL weight fraction, temperature parameters, distribution pattern and parameters of the foundation are presented and discussed.