Electrically-Conductive Polyketone Nanocomposites Based on Reduced Graphene Oxide

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Polyketone 30 (PK30) functionalization is key for advanced composite materials.
• Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) offers unique electrical properties but requires effective dispersion.
• Non-covalent interactions are explored for stable polymer-rGO composites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To functionalize PK30 with glycyl-glycine (Gly-Gly) for enhanced rGO dispersion.
• To investigate the properties of PK30-Gly-Gly/rGO composites.
• To explore their potential as temperature sensors.

Main Methods:

• Paal-Knorr reaction for PK30-Gly-Gly synthesis.
• Non-covalent functionalization to disperse two types of rGO (lrGO and hrGO).
• Electrical conductivity and thermal stability measurements of the composites.

Main Results:

• PK30-Gly-Gly enabled homogeneous rGO distribution with a 5 wt.% percolation threshold.
• Composites exhibited semiconductive behavior and stable electrical response up to 115 °C.
• hrGO composites showed improved conductivity, while lrGO composites acted as ON-OFF sensors above 45 °C.

Conclusions:

• PK30-Gly-Gly functionalization is effective for creating stable rGO composites.
• The composites demonstrate tunable semiconductive properties and thermal stability.
• Materials show promise for soft robotics applications, particularly as temperature sensors.