Pet/graphene polymeric nanocomposites for electromagnetic wave shield

• Grant number: 23/03315-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: December 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Aerospace Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Argemiro Soares da Silva Sobrinho
• Grantee: André Petraconi
• Host Institution: Divisão de Ciências Fundamentais (IEF). Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/18572-7 - New carbon materials: their relevant space, environmental and relevant spin off applications, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/21484-0 - Plasma (DBD) Modeling Study for Graphene Functionalization, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

The development of electromagnetic wave shielding materials has been a constant concern for the aerospace sector due to their applications in stealth technologies, communications, and information processing. In this project, the development of graphene-based polymer nanocomposites is proposed with the main objective of investigating the relationship between morphology and physicochemical properties with electromagnetic wave interaction mechanisms in the radar frequency range. For this study, due to its various industrial applications, micronized poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) will be used as the polymer matrix doped in low fraction (less than 2% by mass) with graphene nanoparticles functionalized by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma, with the mixture prepared in the melt state and subsequently melt-spun. The intrinsic properties of the functionalized graphene nanoparticles will be evaluated as a function of the reactor geometry, type and flow of precursor gases, exposure time, temperature, and discharge power. Next, the prepared nanocomposites will be analyzed for the relationship between structure/morphology and electromagnetic behavior in the frequency range between 8.2 and 12.4 GHz in waveguides. After the analysis of the nanocomposites, the sample that proves to be prominent will be spun to mechanically characterize the fiber's title, elongation, and toughness, as well as its morphology. This produced fiber will undergo the circular knitting process to produce the mesh prototypes, which will be characterized for their electromagnetic shielding effectiveness in an anechoic chamber by evaluating the reflectivity and RCS (Radar Cross Section) diagrams. (AU)