Suryasarathi Bose

Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Materials Derived from Gelation of Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes in Polystyrene/Poly(methyl methacrylate) Blends

Blends of polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with different surface-functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were prepared by solution blending to design materials with tunable EMI (electromagnetic interference) shielding. Different MWNTs like pristine, amine (∼NH2), and carboxyl acid (∼COOH) functionalized were incorporated in the polymer by solution blending. The specific interaction driven localization of MWNTs in the blend during annealing was monitored using contact mode AFM (atomic force microscopy) on thin films. Surface composition of the phase separated blends was further evaluated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The localization of MWNTs in a given phase in the bulk was further supported by selective dissolution experiments. Solution-casted PS/PMMA (50/50, wt/wt) blend exhibited a cocontinuous morphology on annealing for 30 min, whereas on longer annealing times it coarsened into matrix-droplet type of morphology. Interestingly, both pristine MWNTs and NH2-MWNTs resulted in interconnected structures of PMMA in PS matrix upon annealing, whereas COOH-MWNTs were localized in the PMMA droplets. Room-temperature electrical conductivity and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) were measured in a broad range of frequency. It was observed that both electrical conductivity and SE were strongly contingent on the type of surface functional groups on the MWNTs. The thermal conductivity of the blends was measured with laser flash technique at different temperatures. Interestingly, the SE for blends with pristine and NH2-MWNTs was >-24 dB at room temperature, which is commercially important, and with very marginal variation in thermal conductivity in the temperature range of 303-343 K. The gelation of MWNTs in the blends resulted in a higher SE than those obtained using the composites.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-Based Flexible and Lightweight Materials for Attenuating Microwave Radiations

Two unique materials were developed, like graphene oxide (GO) sheets covalently grafted on to barium titanate (BT) nanoparticles and cobalt nanowires (Co-NWs), to attenuate the electromagnetic (EM) radiations in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based composites. The rationale behind using either a ferroelectric or a ferromagnetic material in combination with intrinsically conducting nanoparticles (multiwall carbon nanotubes, CNTs), is to induce both electrical and magnetic dipoles in the system. Two key properties, namely, enhanced dielectric constant and magnetic permeability, were determined. PVDF/BT-GO composites exhibited higher dielectric constant compared to PVDF/BT and PVDF/GO composites. Co-NWs, which were synthesized by electrodeposition, exhibited saturation magnetization (Ms) of 40 emu/g and coercivity (Hc) of 300 G. Three phase hybrid composites were prepared by mixing CNTs with either BT-GO or Co-NWs in PVDF by solution blending. These nanoparticles showed high electrical conductivity and significant attenuation of EM radiations both in the X-band and in the Ku-band frequency. In addition, BT-GO/CNT and Co-NWs/CNT particles also enhanced the thermal conductivity of PVDF by ca. 8.7- and 9.3-fold in striking contrast to neat PVDF. This study open new avenues to design flexible and lightweight electromagnetic interference shielding materials by careful selection of functional nanoparticles.

Engineering Nanostructures by Decorating Magnetic Nanoparticles onto Graphene Oxide Sheets to Shield Electromagnetic Radiations

In this study, a minimum reflection loss of -70 dB was achieved for a 6 mm thick shield (at 17.1 GHz frequency) employing a unique approach. This was accomplished by engineering nanostructures through decoration of magnetic nanoparticles (nickel, Ni) onto graphene oxide (GO) sheets. Enhanced electromagnetic (EM) shielding was derived by selectively localizing the nanoscopic particles in a specific phase of polyethylene (PE)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blends. By introduction of a conducting inclusion (like multiwall carbon nanotubes, MWNTs) together with the engineered nanostructures (nickel-decorated GO, GO-Ni), the shielding efficiency can be enhanced significantly in contrast to physically mixing the particles in the blends. For instance, the composites showed a shielding efficiency >25 dB for a combination of MWNTs (3 wt %) and Ni nanoparticles (52 wt %) in PE/PEO blends. However, similar shielding effectiveness could be achieved for a combination of MWNTs (3 wt %) and 10 vol % of GO-Ni where in the effective concentration of Ni was only 19 wt %. The GO-Ni sheets facilitated in an efficient charge transfer as manifested from high electrical conductivity in the blends besides enhancing the permeability in the blends. It is envisioned that GO is simultaneously reduced in the process of synthesizing GO-Ni, and this facilitated in efficient charge transfer between the neighboring CNTs. More interestingly, the blends with MWNTs/GO-Ni attenuated the incoming EM radiation mostly by absorption. This study opens new avenues in designing polyolefin-based lightweight shielding materials by engineering nanostructures for numerous applications.

Absorption-Dominated Electromagnetic Wave Suppressor Derived from Ferrite-Doped Cross-Linked Graphene Framework and Conducting Carbon

To minimize electromagnetic (EM) pollution, two key parameters, namely, intrinsic wave impedance matching and intense absorption of incoming EM radiation, must satisfy the utmost requirements. To target these requirements, soft conducting composites consisting of binary blends of polycarbonate (PC) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) were designed with doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and a three-dimensional cross-linked graphene oxide (GO) framework doped with ferrite nanoparticles. The doping of α-MnO2 onto the MWCNTs ensured intrinsic wave impedance matching in addition to providing conducting pathways, and the ferrite-doped cross-linked GO facilitated the enhanced attenuation of the incoming EM radiation. This unique combination of magnetodielectric coupling led to a very high electromagnetic shielding efficiency (SE) of -37 dB at 18 GHz, dominated by absorption-driven shielding. The promising results from the composites further motivated us to rationally stack individual composites into a multilayer architecture following an absorption-multiple reflection-absorption pathway. This resulted in an impressive SE of -57 dB for a thin shield of 0.9-mm thickness. Such a high SE indicates >99.999% attenuation of the incoming EM radiation, which, together with the improvement in structural properties, validates the potential of these materials in terms of applications in cost-effective and tunable solutions.

Melt mixed composites of poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) ionomers and multiwall carbon nanotubes: influence of specific interactions.

SnO2 nanoparticles dispersed in Eu3+ doped silica (SnO2-SiO2:Eu3+) were prepared at a low temperature (185 degrees C) in ethylene glycol medium. Transmission electron microscopy studies on as-prepared samples have established that SnO2 nanoparticles having size of 4.6 nm are uniformly covered by the SiO2 matrix. Significant extent of exciton mediated energy transfer between SnO2 and Eu3+ ions in heat treated SnO2-SiO2:Eu3+ samples has been attributed to the diffusion of Eu3+ ions from the SiO2 matrix to the near vicinity of SnO2 nanoparticles and its incorporation in the SnO2 matrix. On the other hand, very weak energy transfer exists for SnO2:Eu3+ nanoparticles heated at different temperatures due to the phase segregation of Eu3+ ions from the matrix.

FeCo-Anchored Reduced Graphene Oxide Framework-Based Soft Composites Containing Carbon Nanotubes as Highly Efficient Microwave Absorbers with Excellent Heat Dissipation Ability

Conducting polymer composites containing ferromagnetic grafted-graphene derivatives are already appreciated for their lightweight, flexibility, and cost effectiveness in terms of microwave absorption. To further leverage the said properties of this wonder material, we propose a highly efficient replacement by blending conducting multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and FeCo anchored covalent cross-linked reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). Interconnected conducting network of MWCNTs introduces higher electrical conductivity in the blend which is essential for microwave absorption. FeCo-anchored porous interconnected rGO framework was designed via solvent-mediated in situ coreduction in the presence of Fe(II) and Co(II) precursors. Resulting cross-linked-rGO/FeCo displays fascinating coexistence of ferromagnetism and conducting-dielectric behavior, while largely preserving the robust 3D porous interconnected structure. Coupled with conducting MWCNTs, diamine cross-linked rGO/FeCo in a soft polymer matrix yields remarkably high total shielding effectiveness (SET) of -41.2 dB at 12 GHz, for a meager 10 wt % filler content. In addition, the composite materials display efficient heat dissipation abilities in conjunction with the trend in their thermal conductivities. This new-age microwave-absorbing material, powered by multifunctionality and tunable magnetodielectric properties, henceforth offers an amendable, cost-effective replacement to the existing solutions.

Modulation of Protein Adsorption and Cell Proliferation on Polyethylene Immobilized Graphene Oxide Reinforced HDPE Bionanocomposites

The uniform dispersion of nanoparticles in a polymer matrix, together with an enhancement of interfacial adhesion is indispensable toward achieving better mechanical properties in the nanocomposites. In the context to biomedical applications, the type and amount of nanoparticles can potentially influence the biocompatibility. To address these issues, we prepared high-density polyethylene (HDPE) based composites reinforced with graphene oxide (GO) by melt mixing followed by compression molding. In an attempt to tailor the dispersion and to improve the interfacial adhesion, we immobilized polyethylene (PE) onto GO sheets by nucleophilic addition-elimination reaction. A good combination of yield strength (ca. 20 MPa), elastic modulus (ca. 600 MPa), and an outstanding elongation at failure (ca. 70%) were recorded with 3 wt % polyethylene grafted graphene oxide (PE-g-GO) reinforced HDPE composites. Considering the relevance of protein adsorption as a biophysical precursor to cell adhesion, the protein adsorption isotherms of bovine serum albumin (BSA) were determined to realize three times higher equilibrium constant (Keq) for PE-g-GO-reinforced HDPE composites as compared to GO-reinforced composites. To assess the cytocompatibility, we grew osteoblast cell line (MC3T3) and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on HDPE/GO and HDPE/PE-g-GO composites, in vitro. The statistically significant increase in metabolically active cell over different time periods in culture for up to 6 days in MC3T3 and 7 days for hMSCs was observed, irrespective of the substrate composition. Such observation indicated that HDPE with GO or PE-g-GO addition (up to 3 wt %) can be used as cell growth substrate. The extensive proliferation of cells with oriented growth pattern also supported the fact that tailored GO addition can support cellular functionality in vitro. Taken together, the experimental results suggest that the PE-g-GO in HDPE can effectively be utilized to enhance both mechanical and cytocompatibility properties and can further be explored for potential biomedical applications.

Synergistic interactions between silver decorated graphene and carbon nanotubes yield flexible composites to attenuate electromagnetic radiation

The need of todays highly integrated electronic devices, especially working in the GHz frequencies, is to protect them from unwanted interference from neighbouring devices. Hence, lightweight, flexible, easy to process microwave absorbers were designed here by dispersing conductive multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and silver nanoparticles decorated onto two-dimensional graphene sheets (rGO@Ag) in poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). In this study, we have shown how dielectric losses can be tuned in the nanocomposites by rGO@Ag nano-hybrid; an essential criterion for energy dissipation within a material resulting in effective shielding of the incoming electromagnetic (EM) radiation. Herein, the conducting pathway for nomadic charge transfer in the PCL matrix was established by MWNTs and the attenuation was tuned by multiple scattering due to the large specific surface area of rGO@Ag. The latter was possible because of the fine dispersion state of the Ag nanoparticles which otherwise often agglomerate if mixed separately. The effect of individual nanoparticles on microwave attenuation was systematically assessed here. It was observed that this strategy resulted in strikingly enhanced microwave attenuation in PCL nanocomposites in contrast to addition of individual particles. For instance, PCL nanocomposites containing both MWNTs and rGO@Ag manifested in a SET of -37 dB and, interestingly, at arelatively smaller fraction. The SE shown by this particular composite makes it a potential candidate for many commercial applications as reflected by its exceptional absorption capability (91.3%).

The Influence of Interfacial Adhesion on the Predicted Young's Modulus of Mica-Reinforced Nylon-6

ABSTRACT Particle-filled polymer composites have become attractive because of their wide applications and low cost. Various factors influence the mechanical properties of thermoplastic composites. Of these, the aspect ratio of the reinforcement, interfacial adhesion, and binder content are the most important. Other than these, the particle size and particle size distribution of the reinforcement also influence the mechanical properties. In this paper, injection molded mica composites were investigated, using nylon-6 as a binder. Many models are available to predict the Youngs modulus of the composites. A theoretical model for Youngs modulus by Lewis and Nielsen was used to predict the Youngs modulus of the composites. Tetra isopropyl titanate (TYZOR® TPT) was used to modify the adhesion between the reinforcement and the binder by mixing it with the reinforcement prior to compounding. It was found that Youngs modulus was greater than the predicted values.

Electrical Conductivity in Polymer Blends/ Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) based polymer composites have emerged as the future multifunctional materials in view of its exceptional mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. One of the major interests is to develop conductive polymer composites preferably at low concentration of CNT utilizing their high aspect ratio (L/D) for numerous applications, which include antistatic devices, capacitors and materials for EMI shielding. In this context, polymer blends have emerged as a potential candidate in lowering the percolation thresholds further by the utilization of ‘double‐percolation’ which arises from the synergistic improvements in blend properties associated with the co‐continuous morphology. Due to strong inter‐tube van der Waals’ forces, they often tend to aggregate and uniform dispersion remains a challenge. To overcome this challenge, we exploited sodium salt of 6‐aminohexanoic acid (Na‐AHA) which was able to assist in debundlling the multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) through ‘cation‐π’ interactions ...