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Abstract
Graphene oxide (GO) was functionalized to prepare GO/polyurethane (PU) composites with improved thermal properties. To improve the dispersion of GO in PU, GO is modified with the ionic liquid of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide ([BMIm]Tf2N) to obtain the functionalized GO (IL-GO), which could form homogeneous dispersions in N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) solvent. The structure and morphology characterizations of GO and IL-GO showed that the ionic liquid had been successfully grafted on the surface of GO through non-covalent bonding. The interlayer distance of the GO also increased to 1.01 nm after modification. Following the solution mixing method, the IL-GO/PU composites were prepared. It is found that IL-GO could provide a good compatibility with the PU. When the contents of IL-GO range from 0 to 2 wt.%, the thermal stabilities of the IL-GO/PU composites are gradually enhanced. At the IL-GO content value of 2 wt.%, the glass transition temperature was increased by 56.4 °C, and the thermal decomposition temperature on 10% weight loss was approximately 45 °C higher than that of the pure PU.