1st Edition

Graphite, Graphene, and Their Polymer Nanocomposites

Edited By Prithu Mukhopadhyay, Rakesh K. Gupta Copyright 2013
    632 Pages 311 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Graphite, Graphene, and Their Polymer Nanocomposites presents a compilation of emerging research trends in graphene-based polymer nanocomposites (GPNC). International researchers from several disciplines share their expertise about graphene, its properties, and the behavior of graphene-based composites. Possibly the first published monograph of its kind, this book provides a comprehensive snapshot of graphite, graphene, and their PNCs, including the underlying physics and chemistry, and associated applications. Beginning with an introduction to natural and synthetic graphite, the precursors to graphene, the text describes their properties, characterization techniques, and prominent commercial applications.

    The focus then moves to graphene and its unique features, and techniques for its characterization. The chapters cover advances in electrochemical exfoliation of graphite, as well as exfoliation routes to produce graphene and graphite nanoplatelets for polymer composites. They also explore commercial use of graphene-based materials, such as emerging clean energy and pulse laser applications, and use as nanofillers in epoxy-based composites. The authors provide an overview of nanofillers and address two methods for GPNC preparation as well as specialized properties of GPNC. With its multidisciplinary approach, this book provides a broader scientific and engineering perspective necessary for meaningful advancements to take place.

    Graphite: Structure, Properties, and Applications, John W. Zondlo

    Electronic Transport in Graphene: Theory and Applications, Pierre Carmier

    Different Characterization Techniques to Evaluate Graphene and Its Properties, Viera Skákalová, Dong Su Lee, and Alan B. Kaiser

    Electrochemical Exfoliation: A Cost-Effective Approach to Produce Graphene Nanoplatelets in Bulk Quantities, Martin Matis, Urszula Kosidlo, Friedemann Tonner, Carsten Glanz, and Ivica Kolaric

    Exfoliation of Graphite toward Graphene from Lab to Industry, Weifeng Zhao and Guohua Chen

    Graphene-Based Materials for Clean Energy Applications, Bin Luo, Minghui Liang, Michael Giersig, and Linjie Zhi

    Electrochemistry of Graphene-Based Nanomaterials, Martin Pumera

    Graphene–Polymer Composites for Pulse Lasers, Qiaoliang Bao, Dingyuan Tang, Han Zhang, and Kian Ping Loh

    Epoxy Nanocomposites: Graphene a Promising Filler, Iti Srivastava, Mohammad A. Rafiee, Fazel Yavari, Javad Rafiee, and Nikhil Koratkar

    Nanoparticles and Polymer Nanocomposites, Musa R. Kamal, and Jorge Uribe-Calderon

    Polymer-Functionalized Graphene via Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization Route for Graphene-Based Polymer Nanocomposites, Arun K. Nandi, Rama K. Layek, Sanjoy Samanta, and Dhruba P. Chatterjee

    Synthesis and Properties of Graphene-Based Nanocomposites in a Biodegradable Polymer, Gui Lin, Isao Noda, and James E. Mark

    Effect of Modified Graphene on Properties of Polypropylene Nanocomposites, Olga Shepelev and Samuel Kenig

    Diffusion through Polymers Containing Platelike Nanomaterials, Matthew S. Thompson, Sushant Agarwal, Prithu Mukhopadhyay, and Rakesh K. Gupta

    Using Functionalized Graphene Sheets to Restrain Chemically Driven Composite Aging, J. S. van der Wal

    Graphene/Polymer Nanocomposites, Hyunwoo Kim, Ahmed A. Abdala, and Christopher W. Macosko

    Highly Filled Graphite–Polymer Composites: Synthesis, Processing, and Characterization, Sadhan C. Jana and Ling Du

    Biography

    Prithu Mukhopadhyay is a scientist with IPEX Technologies, Inc. in Montreal, Canada. Since 1997, he has been engaged in R&D as well as manufacturing and quality management for injection molding and extrusion. He earned his master’s degree in organic chemistry and his Ph.D. in polymer chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Prithu is passionate about new plastics technologies, and he has been a member of the New Technology Committee of the Society of Plastics Engineers since 1998. He has chaired the committee in the past, and he has been active in developing New Technology Forums at the Annual Technical Conference of the Society since 2000. He is an expert on plastics piping materials, and he has published and spoken extensively on this and a variety of polymer topics. He is the founding editor of Plasticstrends, an educational website that was established in 2000. 

    Rakesh K. Gupta is the George B. and Carolyn A. Berry professor and department chairman of chemical engineering at West Virginia University where he has been teaching since 1992. He holds B. Tech. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and the University of Delaware, respectively. His research focuses on polymer rheology, polymer processing, and polymer composites. He has published more than 100 journal papers, 65 conference papers, and 12 book chapters on these topics. He also holds three U.S. patents. He is the author of Polymer and Composite Rheology, the coauthor of Fundamentals of Polymer Engineering and the coeditor of Polymer Nanocomposites Handbook.

    “The book is very comprehensive … written by internationally known researchers. It covers fundamentally important aspects, starting from graphite, moving on to graphene, and then to their polymer nanocomposites. I find a nice balance between theoretical aspects and experimental studies. … The authors have done a great job in distilling their work for their respective chapters. This is a reference work that should find its place among its peers in a scientific library.”
    —Dr. Vassilios Galiatsatos, Fellow SPE, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Germany

    “… relevant to real-world applications for graphene, graphene-like, and near graphene materials that are now reaching the marketplace. The [contents] follow a logical progression, from graphite-basics, to characterization of graphitic and graphene materials, lab and industrial synthesis, and include a wide range of applications-related chapters.  Researchers, applications engineers, manufacturing chemists, polymer scientists, formulators, and other individuals involved in graphene materials will be enticed to read further.”
    —Albert V. Tamashausky, Asbury Carbons Inc, New Jersey, USA

    “Graphene and graphene-based materials are finding increasing applications in a variety of settings ranging from medical, biological, and energy related areas. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most promising materials of future. Therefore, the present handbook is timely and appropriate to provide a state of the art account spanning all aspects including production, characterisation and property-structure relationships … . Yet at the same time directing an interested reader to specialised research papers to dig deeper into specific aspects.

    The editors have skillfully compiled virtually the complete spectrum of graphite, graphene, and their nanocomposites technology. … Each chapter has been written by a well-known individual possessing extensive firsthand experience combined with complete familiarity with the contemporary literature. This handbook has all the ingredients to become one of the most influential resources in this emerging field.”
    —Dr. Raj Chhabra, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, India

    “Graphene is the new wonder material and a premium carbon product. Researchers are still in the initial stages of discovering all its properties and potential applications. Indeed, there is significant research on simply finding convenient ways to synthesize graphene in reasonable quantities. This book brings together key players from all over the world, and these researchers present the state of the art in this convenient and easy-to-read edited volume. This book is a rendering of both the science and technology of graphene and its utilization in polymer nanocomposites. It is extremely well done … . The research into graphene has just begun, and this book has the potential to act as the guide for those contemplating their own journey into this emerging area of materials science and engineering.”
    —Dr. Henk Verhoogt, SABIC, Sittard, The Netherlands