Tom Nosker Graphene Composite Materials, LLC

1. Graphene Thermoplastic Nanocomposites for
Lightweight Automotive Structures
Thomas Nosker
Rutgers University, Materials Science and Engineering Department
607 Taylor Rd, Piscataway, NJ
3/15-16, Detroit Michigan

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Where Inventors Stand
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Graphite Graphene
Jeffrey R. Potts, Daniel R. Dreyer, Christopher W. Bielawski, and Rodney S. Ruoff,
“Graphene-based polymer nanocomposites”, Polymer 52 (2011).
Graphite-PMC Graphene-PMC
E = 1 TPa
E = ~20 GPa

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Graphene
• Strength: 130 GPa. Steel is at most
2.5GPa.
• Electron carrier density of 1012 cm−2 , more
than 10 6 greater than copper.
• Thermal conductivity of 2500 W⋅m −1 ⋅K −1 K,
Aluminum is 205.0 W⋅m −1 ⋅K −1 K
Stiffness (GPa)
Graphene 1000
Steel 200
Aluminum 69
Wood 8-11
PEEK 3
HDPE 1

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Potential for G-PMCs
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Current State of the Art (other labs) : Graphene-
PMCs
Minoo Naebe, Jing Wang, Abbas Amini, Hamid Khayyam, Nishar Hameed, Lu
Hua Li, Ying Chen & Bronwyn Fox, “Mechanical Property and Structure of
Covalent Functionalised Graphene/Epoxy Nanocomposites”, Scientific Reports, 4,
(2014). doi:10.1038/srep04375
No significant increase in modulus
Jeffrey R. Potts, Shanthi Murali, Yanwu Zhu, Xin Zhao, and Rodney S. Ruoff, “Microwave-
Exfoliated Graphite Oxide/Polycarbonate Composites”, Macromolecules, 44 (2011).

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Rutgers: Graphite to Graphene PMC
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Graphite Polymer
• In situ shear exfoliation of mined graphite within molten polymer
– Exfoliates graphite into graphene nano-flakes (GNF)
– Yields graphene-reinforced polymer matrix composites (G-PMC)
– Light weight, high performance composite
• Process is versatile, scalable, and low cost

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35 G-PEEK: Morphology
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35G-PEEK: Transparent Graphene
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Adhesion within Exfoliated Graphene Composite
• High shear exfoliation show PPS adhering to edges and squeezing between the
graphene galleries.
• Elongated polymer regions indicative good adhesion the matrix has to graphene.

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Modulus Enhancement of 35G-PEEK
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
Tensile
Modulus
(GPa)
35G-PEEK Composite
Increasing degree of GNF exfoliation
PEEK
Low exfoliation
High exfoliation
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ASTM D 638 Type I

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G-PMC Mechanical Properties
0
5
10
15
20
25
HDPE PET PS PA66 PSU PPS PEEK
Tensile
Modulus
(GPa)
Polymer G-PMC
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• Process applicable to any thermoplastic
• Significant modulus enhancement- bigger benefit on stiffer plastics,
similar to adding fibers.
Fuel Tank

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Impact Resistance
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0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
Izod
Impact
Resistance
(J/m)
PEEK
Low exfoliation (H fracture)
High
exfoliation
Increasing degree of Graphite exfoliation into Graphene
30 CF-PEEK
*
ASTM D 256 - Notched * Solvay data for PEEK Ketaspire KT 820 NT and KT 820 CF30

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G-PET
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• Steady modulus enhancement with increasing wt. % Graphene Nanoflakes,
similar to adding fibers
• Increased yield stress and break stress properties with increasing wt. % Graphene
Nanoflakes

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What about combining graphene sheets and
carbon fibers?
• Both are much stiffer
than polymers. Will it
act additive, based on
total added carbon?
This is how it works
with similar sized
reinforcements.
• The upper limits with
thermoplastics are
about 30 Gpa
modulus.
• OR…Will it act
differently, because of
the orders of
magnitude difference
between carbon fibers
and graphene?
• A few scouting
experiments are in
order.
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Note the scale. Carbon fibers are 20-30
Microns.
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Combining G-PMC with Carbon Fibers
Multiscale reinforcement
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Yield Stress
Graphene per Density
Material wt. % wt. % (GPa) (MPa) Density (g/cm3)
Aluminum (6061-T6) - - 68.9 25.5 276 102 2.70
PEEK 0 0 3.5 2.6 80 60 1.33
PEEK 12 40 40.5 31.4 198 153 1.29
PA6 0 0 2.0 1.7 49 41 1.19
PA6 12 40 49.7 35.5 180 129 1.40
PP 0 0 2.0 2.2 35 39 0.90
PP 12 40 19.2 18.1 81 76 1.06
Tensile Properties
Carbon
Fiber
Modulus
per
Density

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Modulus of Multiscale Reinforcement
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0
10
20
30
40
50
PEEK PA6 PP
Tensile
Modulus
(GPa)
Stiffness when Combining Graphene
& Carbon Fiber Reinforcement
Neat
12G-40CF

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Strength of Multiscale Reinforcement
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0
50
100
150
200
PEEK PA6 PP
Tensile
Yield
Strength
(MPa)
Strength when Combining Graphene
& Carbon Fiber Reinforcement
Neat
12G-40CF

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Jumping the shark on Stiffness
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0
10
20
30
40
PEEK PA6
Tensile
Modulus
per
Density
(MPa)/(g/cm3)
Specific Stiffness when Combining Graphene
& Carbon Fiber Reinforcement
12G-40CF
Aircraft Aluminum

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Jumping the Shark on Stength
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0
50
100
150
PEEK PA6
Tensile
Yield
Strength
per
Density
(GPa)/(g/cm3)
Specific Strength when Combining Graphene
& Carbon Fiber Reinforcement
12G-40CF
Aircraft Aluminum

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Potential Applications
• Under Hood Applications
– Valve cover plates
– Alternator and starter housings
– Intake manifolds
– Transmission housings
– Electronics housings (EMP absorbing)
• Interior
– Door panels, floor panels
– Seat frames
– Consoles
• Exterior
– Bumper Fascia and structure
– Trunk and hood
– Sunroof
– Fender liners
– Suspension components
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Conclusions
• An integrated process has been developed to efficiently and
inexpensively exfoliate graphite particles in molten polymers, and is
being scaled up
• It can be combined with traditional fiber reinforcement, to produce
improved properties
• Resulting G-PMCs, and composites with carbon fiber
– Lightweight
– Low cost
– High specific modulus and strength
– Potential for good thermal and electrical conductivities
– We can exceed specific strength and stiffness of an aircraft aluminum, and
with more work will likely get better at it.
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