Paper: Assessing graphene oxide/polymer interfacial interactions by way of peeling test

Graphene–polymer composites have great potential for future high-performance lightweight materials. There have, however, previously been no means to study how well graphene bonds with a particular polymer. We have developed a simple and fast “peeling test”. Different kinds of graphene sheets are sandwiched between two materials, such that they are in close contact with both of them. The two materials are then peeled apart, and their former contact surfaces are studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The image here shows a polystyrene surface that was pulled off a mica surface covered with graphene oxide (GO). The GO sheets stuck to the mica, leaving atomically thin impressions in the polystyrene, shown as dark areas in the figure. Repeating this experiment with a series of polymers allowed us to establish a “ranking order of stickiness”, which informs the development of enhanced nanocomposites.

Our paper detailing the development of this dried oil coated probe was published in Surface Innovations (Institution of Civil Engineers, UK).

• More about our nanocomposites research
• More about our graphene research
• More about our interface science research
• All Publications of the Schniepp group