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Updated: May 24, 2026
09:38
Strain Sensing Based on Multiscale Composite Materials Reinforced with Graphene Nanoplatelets
Published on: November 7, 2016
Control of epoxy creep using graphene.
Ardavan Zandiatashbar1, Catalin R Picu, Nikhil Koratkar
1Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|March 2, 2012
Summary
Graphene platelet (GPL) nanocomposites show reduced creep compared to neat epoxy at high stress and temperature. This suggests GPLs inhibit creep mechanisms, outperforming carbon nanotube composites.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Epoxy resins are widely used but susceptible to creep under stress and temperature.
- Graphene platelets (GPLs) are explored as fillers to enhance polymer properties.
- Understanding creep behavior is crucial for structural applications of nanocomposites.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the creep behavior of epoxy-GPL nanocomposites.
- To determine the effect of GPL weight fraction on creep resistance.
- To compare the creep performance of epoxy-GPL with other polymer nanocomposites.
Main Methods:
- Macroscopic creep testing.
- Nanoindentation creep measurements.
- Varying weight fractions of GPLs in epoxy matrix.
Main Results:
- No significant creep difference between neat epoxy and nanocomposites at low stress/temperature.
- Optimal 0.1 wt% GPL nanocomposite exhibited significantly reduced creep at elevated stress/temperature.
- GPLs were found to inhibit thermally activated creep processes.
- Epoxy-GPL creep was slower compared to epoxy-SWNT and epoxy-MWNT composites.
Conclusions:
- Graphene platelets effectively enhance the creep resistance of epoxy resins.
- The optimal concentration of GPLs is critical for significant creep improvement.
- Epoxy-GPL nanocomposites offer superior creep performance over epoxy-CNT composites.
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