Fabrication and characterization of self-healing and conductive nanostructured films

• Grant number: 20/03335-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date until: April 01, 2020
• End date until: December 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Riul Júnior
• Grantee: Leon Shinji Takahashi
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin (IFGW). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Here, we will study nanostructured layer-by-layer (LbL) films formed by polymers that heal in the presence of water (self-healing), with the incorporation of graphene derivatives in the self-healing matrix. Our goal is to study through electrical and optical measurement combinations that generate better synergy between conductive and self-healing, as the increase in one property leads to the detriment of the other. In particular, we are interested in studying the size effect of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) on the conduction properties of self-healing and conductive composites, as recent results in our research group indicate that the size of rGOs strongly affects the electrical conductivity and charge mobility in LbL films. With this, we hope to improve the driving properties without significantly affecting the healing ability. The LbL technique is attractive in this type of study because it allows the creation of nanostructures with these materials in different molecular architectures, in order to obtain unique electrical and mechanical properties of these conductive and self-regenerating interfaces. The results are interesting for the development of multifunctional interfaces for applications in organic and flexible electronics.