Flexible and Conductive Graphene-Poly (diallyldimethylammoniumchloride) Buckypaper

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Graphene oxide (GO) requires reduction to achieve conductive properties.
• Developing flexible and conductive materials is crucial for advanced electronics.
• Traditional reduction methods can compromise graphene's structural integrity and flexibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize flexible, conductive reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-poly(diallyldimethylammoniumchloride) (PDDA) buckypapers (BPs).
• To investigate the role of PDDA as both a reducing agent and a binding molecule.
• To enhance the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of rGO-based materials.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of rGO-PDDA nanosheet dispersion from graphite oxide using PDDA as a reducing agent.
• Fabrication of buckypapers (BPs) with rGO and PDDA.
• Characterization using SEM, Raman spectroscopy, EDX, XRD, and resistivity measurements.
• Low-temperature thermal annealing (~250 °C).

Main Results:

• PDDA effectively reduced GO and acted as a binder, creating BPs with strong interlayer connections.
• PDDA-induced reduction restored the sp2 structure and chemically doped rGO, enhancing charge carrier density.
• Annealed rGO-PDDA-BPs achieved an isotropic sheet resistance as low as ~100 Ω/sq.
• The process preserved structural integrity and mechanical flexibility, avoiding issues associated with high-temperature annealing.

Conclusions:

• PDDA is an effective agent for reducing GO and creating conductive, flexible rGO-PDDA buckypapers.
• The developed material exhibits significantly enhanced electrical conductivity and mechanical properties.
• This method offers a promising route for fabricating advanced flexible electronic components.