Fabrication and properties of rigid polyurethane nanocomposite foams with functional isocyanate modified graphene oxide

Abstract

The modified graphene oxide (GO) with different specific functional groups were prepared and introduced into rigid polyurethane foam (PUF). It was proved that NCO groups were bonded on the surface of GO, which could participate into the polyurethane foaming reaction and dramatically improve the interactions between the filler and matrix. It was found that the cell morphology and the mechanical properties of the PUFs could be effectively improved by adding an appropriate amount of modified GO. The isocyanate-modified GO could form a stable chemical bond with the matrix, which was more beneficial to improve the mechanical properties. The thermal conductivity slightly increased with the increase of modified GO, however the values were still low enough for thermal insulation applications. Thus, these nanocomposite foams with improved structure and properties would find wide applications in the thermal insulation areas.

Nanocomposites of Rigid Polyurethane Foam and Graphene Nanoplates Obtained by Exfoliation of Natural Graphite in Polymeric 4,4′-Diphenylmethane Diisocyanate

“…Figure 10 presents the normalized compressive strengths of GNP/RPUF nanocomposites at 10% strain. The enhancement in the compressive strength of RPUF nanocomposites was reported by the incorporation of nano-filler [3,14,15]. All the nanocomposites showed enhanced compressive strength compared with neat RPUF, i.e., 0.241, 0.275, 0.302, 0.299, and 0.291 MPa for control, G 0.1, G 0.2, G 0.3, and G 0.4, respectively.…”

“…In past decades, the enhancement of the mechanical and thermal insulation properties of RPUF by incorporation of various nanofillers, such as graphene [3,[13][14][15][16][17], nanoclay [4,8,12], cellulose [11,18], carbon nanofibers [8,19], and carbon nanotubes [3,20] have often been reported. Nanofillers act as nucleating agents to reduce the cell size and improve the thermal insulation properties of an RPUF.…”

Effect of fiber surface treatment on the structure and properties of rigid bagasse fibers/polyurethane composite foams

“…Polyurethane materials exhibit regulatable structures and properties due to differences in functionality and amount of polyol compounds 1 . Polyurethane foam is one of the fastest growing products in polyurethane materials in recent years, mainly used in construction, transportation, furniture, and bedding, for the outstanding performances such as excellent insulation properties, good physical and mechanical properties, outstanding aging resistance, etc 2‐4 . By adjusting the formulation and changing the process parameters, a variety of polyurethane foams with variable performances could be designed to meet market demand 5, 6 …”

Preparation and properties of rigid polyurethane foams added with graphene oxide-hollow glass microspheres hybrid

“…In general, the reinforcing effect of filler is closely related to its dispersion in the matrix. Graphene oxide (GO), as a typical nanomaterial, has the characteristics of small size effect, large specific surface area, and high strength and can be mixed with polymer materials to prepare nanocomposites with excellent mechanical properties [23][24][25]. However, dispersing GO in the raw materials of polyurethane is difficult because it easily causes agglomeration and affects the properties of foam composites.…”

“…However, limited studies have been conducted on RPUF-reinforced fillers. The surface of GO is rich in organic functional groups (─OH, ─COOH, ─C═O), which can be combined with various inorganic particles through chemical bonds [ 25 ]. Inorganic particles can increase the distance between the layers of GO and form a kind of hybrid filler with a three-dimensional structure, which improves the dispersion of the particles in the polymer materials.…”