In this paper, we report a cost-effective and scalable approach to produce highly homogeneous graphene and CNT-based silicone composites with potential applications in diverse fields of research, including biosensors and wearable electronics. This approach includes the fabrication of hybrid fillers based on few-layer graphene and CNTs by water solution blending and manufacturing of graphene/CNT/PDMS composites through calendering in a three-roll mill. The influence of processing parameters, the graphene/CNT ratio, and hybrid filler loading was thoroughly investigated, and the optimal parameters for producing hybrid composites with superior electrical and mechanical properties were found. It was also confirmed that the graphene/CNT hybrid system exhibits a synergistic effect of non-covalent interactions between graphene sheets and CNT sidewalls. This synergistic effect prevents the aggregation of graphene sheets, facilitates the dispersion of graphene and CNTs in the silicone matrix, and contributes to the superior properties of hybrid composites compared to composites with either of these fillers alone.

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The paper discusses scientific publications regarding polymer composites based on epoxy resins, which are the main competitor of many traditional structural materials. The review on carbon nanofillers for composite materials, such as graphene, graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes, etc., is given. Methods for introducing these nanomaterials into different binders are considered, and comparative results of improving the strength characteristics of nanocomposites are presented.

The present paper considers the efficiency of using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) functionalized by titanium stearate groups for modifying of polyethylene and polypropylene. For this purpose, the strength characteristics, Shore hardness, thermal diffusivity and conductivity of the obtained nanocomposites were determined. The weak effect of the CNTs (0.01-1.5 wt.%) on the values of thermal conductivity coefficients and thermal diffusivity was revealed. It was found that compared to the unmodified matrix, nanocomposites containing 0.01-0.1 wt.% of the titanium stearatefunctionalized CNTs demonstrate, an increase in the Shore hardness by 12.5-14.5%, a decrease in the weight wear by 54.2%, and the daily water absorption - to the values below the threshold of sensitivity of the standardized method of determination. The functionalization by the titanium stearate groups made it possible to reduce the CNTs mass fraction in the composition of polyethylene and polypropylene composites by more than 10 times compared with the pristine nanotubes.