Fabrication of polyimide/graphene nanosheet composite fibers via microwave-assisted imidization strategy

Here, a rapid and efficient strategy was introduced to prepare polyimide/graphene nanosheet (PI/GN) composite fibers by microwave-assisted imidization. The mechanical properties of the PI/GNs (1 wt%) fibers treated by microwave-assisted imidization were apparently improved with the tensile strength of 1.12 GPa at 350 °C, which was approximately 1.7 times as much as those treated with traditional thermal imidization. The PI/GNs (1 wt%) fibers heated by the microwave-assisted imidization method exhibited excellent thermal stabilities of up to 570.3 °C in nitrogen for a 5% weight loss, and a glass transition temperature above 339 °C. The results of the infrared spectrum and thermal properties indicated that the microwave-assisted treatment could promote the imidization degree of the PI/GN fibers prominently. Meanwhile, as a microwave absorber, graphene nanosheets (GNs) could also promote the imidization process by converting microwave energy into thermal energy. The microwave-polyimide/graphene nanosheet (MW-PI/GN) fibers possessed an optimum tensile strength of 1.38 GPa and modulus of 56.82 GPa at the GN content of 0.25 wt%. The 5% weight loss temperature in nitrogen ranged from 520.9 °C to 570.3 °C, and the glass transition temperature was increased from 305.7 °C to 339.1 °C with increasing the GN content.