Trends in graphene reinforced polyamide nanocomposite for functional application: a review

ABSTRACT

This review outlines significant aspects and vital progression from polyamide – to – polyamide/graphene nanocomposite – to – technical application. Polyamide forms an important class of engineering thermoplastic polymers with exceptional mechanical, abrasion, wear, barrier, and crystallinity properties. Graphene is a unique nanocarbon having exclusive electrical, optical, mechanical, thermal, and chemical performance. Consequently, polyamide/graphene nanocomposite has revealed multifunctional properties and high performance owing to the synergistic effect of polymer and graphene. Here, interfacial interaction, dispersion in matrix, and processing technique used affect the final nanocomposite performance. A range of technological fields have been profited using polyamide/graphene nanocomposites including non-flammable materials, membranes, coatings, textile, and packaging industries.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Graphene
• polymer
• nanocomposite
• membrane
• coating

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ayesha Kausar

Ayesha Kausar works at National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan. She has previously worked for National Centre for Physics and Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. She obtained her PhD from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad/KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology), Graduate School of EEWS, Daejeon, Republic of Korea. Her research interests include: synthesis, characterization and structure-property relationships of new polymeric materials; synthesis of nanomaterials including organic–inorganic nanocomposites/hybrid materials; polymeric blends via incorporating nanoparticles into thin polymer films; exploring practical and potential prospects of the novel synthesized materials (new polymers and nanomaterials) counting morphological, mechanical, thermal, electrical, conducting, etc.; flame retardant materials; proton conducting fuel cell membranes; nanocomposites for polymer Li-ion battery electrodes; composites based on electrospun nanofibers; production of various polymeric nanoparticles and their composites for solar cells; polymer/carbon nanotube/nanoparticle composites for water treatment; potential of polymer/graphite nanocomposites; polymer/graphene hybrids; polymer/fullerene nanomaterials; fabrication of epoxy-based nanocomposite for various applications; radar absorbing materials; aerospace relevance, and other technical relevances.