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. 2019 Jan 15;9(4):2116-2124.
doi: 10.1039/c8ra09384a. eCollection 2019 Jan 14.

Fabrication of graphite/MgO-reinforced poly(vinyl chloride) composites by mechanical activation with enhanced thermal properties

Qinghua Li  1 , Fang Shen  1   2 , Jingqi Ji  1 , Yanjuan Zhang  1 , Yaseen Muhammad  2   3 , Zuqiang Huang  1 , Huayu Hu  1 , Yunpeng Zhu  1 , Yuben Qin  1
Affiliations

Fabrication of graphite/MgO-reinforced poly(vinyl chloride) composites by mechanical activation with enhanced thermal properties

Qinghua Li et al. RSC Adv. .

Abstract

In this study, a mechanical activation (MA) approach was developed to fabricate graphite/MgO-reinforced poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) composites with superior thermal properties. The composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermogravimetric (DTG) analysis. SEM results revealed uniformly dispersed graphite and MgO flakes in a PVC matrix and the successful formation of a thermal network by MA, which led to enhanced thermal conductivity. DSC and TGA results of the composites showed enhancement in the glass transition temperature (Tg) from 82.81 °C to 88.60 °C and decomposition temperature from 287.61 °C to 305.59 °C as compared to pristine PVC. The thermal conductivity of the graphite/MgO/PVC composite at optimum conditions was 0.8791 W m-1 K-1, which was 6.27 times higher than that of pristine PVC. The mechanical properties such as the tensile strength and bending strength of graphite/MgO/PVC composites were also augmented as compared to pristine PVC, graphite/PVC and MgO/PVC composites. Due to the enhanced thermal properties of the newly designed graphite/MgO/PVC composites, they have potential as alternatives to classical PVC-based materials in thermal and many other target field-based applications.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Representation of stirring ball mill.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Effect of milling speed on the thermal conductivity of graphite/MgO/PVC composite under MgO and graphite loadings of 10 wt% and 20 wt% respectively for 40 min milling.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Effect of milling time on thermal conductivity of graphite/MgO/PVC under a milling speed of 150 r per min, MgO and graphite contents of 10 wt% and 20 wt%, respectively.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Effect of graphite content on thermal conductivity of graphite/MgO/PVC at MgO loadings of 20 wt%, mill speed of 150 r per min and milling time of 60 min.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5. Effect of MgO content on thermal conductivity of graphite/MgO/PVC at a milling speed of 150 r per min, milling time of 60 min and graphite contents of 20 wt%.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6. SEM images of: (a) pristine PVC, (b) PVC treated by MA, (c) graphite/MgO/PVC composites prepared by simple mixing, (d) graphite/MgO/PVC composites prepared by MA, and (e) the fractured surface of graphite/MgO/PVC composites prepared by simple mixing and (f) by MA.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7. DSC curves of: (a) pristine PVC, (b) MgO/PVC composite having 30 wt% MgO, (c) graphite/PVC composite having 35 wt% graphite and (d) graphite/MgO/PVC composite having 20 wt% graphite and 15 wt% MgO.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8. TGA and DTG analysis of: (a) pristine PVC, (b) MgO/PVC composites having 30 wt% MgO, (c) graphite/PVC composites having 35 wt% graphite and (d) graphite/MgO/PVC composites having 20 wt% graphite and 15 wt% MgO.
Fig. 9
Fig. 9. (a) Tensile strength and (b) bending strength of different composites.
Fig. 10
Fig. 10. Proposed mechanism of thermal enhancement by graphite/MgO/PVC composite.
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