Experimental characterization optimizing the alignment parameter for GNP epoxy base nanocomposite via a weak DC magnetic field

Abstract

Graphene has been hailed by scientists as the “wonder material” of the 21st century. Despite the impressive mechanical and electrical qualities of graphene in its unprocessed state, graphene-based epoxy nanocomposites can only be used as a structural material on a small scale. The random dispersion and orientation of graphene in epoxy cause the failure. Magnetite Fe3O4 nanoparticles are synthesized and solvo-thermally attached to the graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) surfaces in order to utilize our recently model's suggested optimized alignment parameters. Solution with properly dispersed nanoparticles, that is, Fe3O4-GNP within epoxy, is exposed to the magnetic field (0.05 T). Morphology, microstructure, and magnetic properties of GNP, Fe3O4, and Fe3O4-GNP nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The aforementioned characterization method, optical microscopy, and studying the fracture surface morphology confirmed the alignment. The fabricated aligned Fe3O4-GNP nanocomposite is best used as a functional material. © 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.