Investigating the Effects of Hollow Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles on the Thermal/Mechanical Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites: Experimental, Analytical and Simulation Approaches

In this study, the main purpose has been to investigate the behavior of the nanoparticles with different structures and similar based materials in polymer nanocomposites. To this end, different samples, containing PS as the matrix, and layered graphene oxide (GO) and/or hollow graphene oxide nanoparticles (HGO), were prepared via the melt mixing process and were subjected to heat conduction and tensile tests. To evaluate all features of the interaction between the polymer phase and the nanoparticles, a thermal/mechanical analytical model was proposed and the results were used to simulate the behavior of specific geometrical structures, corresponding to the real samples, under different thermal/mechanical conditions. The results showed good agreement between the obtained experimental data and simulation/analytical model interpretations. In addition, it was found that the HGO nanoparticle had such a good performance in enhancing the thermal and mechanical properties of the nanocomposite, due to its unique structure.