Nanometric graphite produced by ultrasonic mechanical exfoliation and its influence on mechanical properties of epoxy based composites

• Grant number: 14/20421-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2014
• End date: October 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Edson Roberto Leite
• Grantee: Régis Schiavon de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07296-2 - CDMF - Center for the Development of Functional Materials, AP.CEPID

Abstract

This project focuses on the production of nano-graphite, through ultrasonic exfoliation of graphite and their application in Thermoset polymer nanocomposites based on epoxy resin. The use and study of nanocomposites have been gaining ground every day due to the properties which are provided only by the presence of nanostructures. Graphene is one of the most widely studied materials for this purpose, but their production in scale needed for industrial use is still a technological challenge due to efficiency and waste generated, thus, this project aims to study the use of nano-graphite in applications involving the improvement of mechanical properties without significant loss of efficiency regarding the use of graphene. One of the biggest advantages of nano-graphite compared to graphene is its production process cleaner, acid free and higher yield, which may enable its use in larger scales. The produced nano-graphite is characterized by electron microscopy, spectroscopy and thermal analysis. For the characterization of nanocomposites, besides these techniques shall also be performed mechanical tests. (AU)