Graphene Materials Strengthen Aqueous Polyurethane Adhesives

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Thermoplastic polyurethane (TP) adhesives are widely used but can benefit from enhanced mechanical properties.
• Graphene-based nanomaterials offer potential for reinforcing polymer matrices due to their exceptional strength and surface area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of carboxyl-functionalized graphene platelets (GP) and graphene oxide (GO) on the mechanical properties of a commercial TP adhesive.
• To evaluate the performance enhancement at industrially relevant low concentrations (0.01 and 0.1 wt %).

Main Methods:

• Aqueous dispersion of TP adhesive (Idrotex 200) was modified with GP and GO.
• Mechanical and peel tests were performed on TP strips (Estane 58091).
• Material characterization using scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase in first failure and maximum forces was observed with 0.01 wt % GP addition compared to the pristine adhesive.
• The addition process was simple, scalable, and applicable to other materials.
• Characterization provided insights into the reinforcement mechanism.

Conclusions:

• Low-dose addition of carboxyl-functionalized graphene platelets can substantially improve the mechanical performance of TP adhesives.
• The findings suggest a viable strategy for developing high-performance adhesives using graphene nanomaterials.