Layer-by-layer assembled graphene oxide/polydiallydimethylammonium chloride composites for hydrogen gas barrier application

Abstract

Poly(diallyldimethylammoium chloride) (PDDA)/acid or base modified graphene oxide (MGO) composite (PDDA/MGO)-based gas barrier films were prepared by layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly method on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate using a spray coating assisted deposition. The effect of pH on the hydrogen gas permeability (H₂GP) values of the different MGO-based films was investigated to determine the optimum pH value of the MGO solution for the preparation of PDDA/MGO-based LBL assembly. Accordingly, the different numbers of bilayers based LBL-assembled films were prepared using alternate deposition of PDDA and MGO solutions and the H₂GP values were measured for those assemblies. The films were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, and Raman spectroscopy analyses. The morphology of the LBL-assembled film was observed by cross-sectional field emission scanning electron microscopy which confirms densely packed layered structure. The H₂GP of six bilayers PDDA/MGO composite film is 5.7 cc/m²⋅d⋅atm, which is much lower than that of pure PET substrate (170.7 cc/m²⋅d⋅atm), indicating 96.7% decrease in H₂GP. This result suggests that the PDDA/MGO composite film could be used as a potential candidate to fabricate hydrogen gas barrier coating material.

Keywords:

• hydrogen gas barrier
• graphene oxide
• layer-by-layer assembly
• composites
• poly(diallyldimethylammoium chloride)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Program for Fostening Next-generation Researchers in Engineering(2017H1D8A2030449), the Leading Human Resource Training Program of Regional Neo Industry (2016H1D5A1909049), and the Basic Science Research Program (2016R1A6A1A03012069) through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICTof Republic of Korea.