Premium
Novel dispersion analysis and selective quantification of particulate components in graphene nanoplatelets–polymer–polymer hybrid composites
Author(s) -
Mohan Velram Balaji,
Haalboom Martijn,
Bhattacharyya Debes
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.49296
Subject(s) - dispersion (optics) , materials science , polymer , graphene , composite material , elemental analysis , scanning electron microscope , particle (ecology) , carbon fibers , hybrid material , nanotechnology , composite number , optics , chemistry , physics , oceanography , organic chemistry , geology
Up until now, no standard procedure to analyze and quantify the dispersion of particles in the polymer matrix exists. From the conductive hybrid polymer–polymer–graphene nanoplatelets composites we developed, this article attempts to showcase methodologies to analyze and quantify particle with the use of scanning electron microscopy images and collection of the elemental maps of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Image analysis was performed on the resulting map to extract the area and location data of graphene particles by subtracting elemental maps. Shadowing or charging problem in the images acquired from EDS was overcome by the polished surface and analyzing a sample twice using a novel approach of 180° opposed. Merging the data from the two elemental maps, taken 180° opposed, can be an alternative to the use of polished samples. From these different dispersion analysis approaches, it was possible to quantify different particles and their effects on the properties of the composites.