Effect of adding different amounts of graphite nanoplatelets on structural, thermal, mechanical and viscoelastic properties of vinylester based composites cured at 25°C

Different amounts (0.1–5wt%) of graphite nanoplatelets (GNs) were added to vinylester (VE) for improving the properties of the composites cured at 25°C. The addition of 0.1wt% GN only increased the T g and the thermal stability of the composite cured at 25°C. Furthermore, the addition of GN increased both the tensile strength and elongation‐at‐break of the composites cured at 25°C, but the effect of adding GN was less important when cured at 100°C. The improved properties of the composites were ascribed to the interactions between the oxygen species on the GN edges and the C==O and OH groups in the VE monomer, and to the higher fraction of the partially crosslinked polymer within the matrix. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E1381–E1390, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers