Graphene Aerogel Growth on Functionalized Carbon Fibers

Abstract

Graphene aerogel (GA) is a lightweight, porous, environmentally friendly, 3D structured material with interesting properties, such as electrical conductivity, a high surface area, and chemical stability, which make it a powerful tool in energy storage, sensing, catalyst support, or environmental applications. However, the poor mechanical stability that often characterizes graphene aerogels is a serious obstacle for their use in such applications. Therefore, we report here the successful mechanical reinforcement of GA with carbon fibers (CFs) by combining reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and CFs in a composite material. The surfaces of the CFs were first successfully desized and enriched with epoxy groups using epichloridrine. Epoxy-functionalized CFs (epoxy-CFs) were further covered by reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets, using triethylene tetramine (TETA) as a linker. The rGO-covered CFs were finally incorporated into the GA, affording a stiff monolithic aerogel composite. The as-prepared epoxy-CF-reinforced GA was characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques and showed enhanced electrical conductivity and compressive strength. The improved electrical and mechanical properties of the GA-CFs composite could be used, among other things, as electrode material or strain sensor applications.

Progress in Research on the Preparation of Graphene-Based Aerogels Using γ-ray Irradiation Technology

“…Graphene aerogel (GA) stands out as an extraordinary three-dimensional porous solid material, distinguished by its ultra-low density, impressive specific surface area, exceptional porosity, and remarkable adsorption capacity. These remarkable properties bestow upon GA a wide spectrum of applications, encompassing energy storage [1,2], catalysis [3,4], sensors [5], environmental protection [6], and beyond. When compared to pristine graphene, GA triumphs over the challenges of agglomeration and the reduction in specific surface area, with issues often stemming from the formidable π-π conjugation and van der Waals forces between graphene sheets during processing.…”

Highly Elastic Melamine Graphene/MWNT Hybrid Sponge for Sensor Applications

“…To overcome these disadvantages and prepare a stable, compact graphene aerogel, the combination of graphene with other materials has been examined. Recently, our group showed the successful reinforcement of graphene aerogel by carbon fibers [ 25 , 26 ]. A different approach has been followed in several works, where melamine foam or sponges were used as a stable and highly flexible skeleton to develop graphene-based porous 3D structures [ 27 , 28 , 29 ].…”

Thermal insulation and antioxidation of vertical graphene oxide‐grafted carbon nanofiber aerogels with ceramic coating

“…Improving a particular performance of carbon fiber is more common by introducing other materials on the carbon fiber surface using the chemical grafting method. The materials grafted on the fiber surface by the chemical grafting method 9,10 include graphene 11 , carbon nanotube, 12 and halloysite nanotube 13 . Due to their superior mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties, graphene‐related materials received a lot of interest 14,15 .…”