Low-temperature baroplastic processing of graphene-based polymer composites by pressure-induced flow

Two-stage emulsion polymerization was employed to synthesize nanoparticles consisting of a low glass transition temperature core of poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PBA) and a glassy poly(methyl methylacrylate) (PMMA) shell. Incorporation of graphene oxide (GO) into the PBA-PMMA latex produced GO/PBA-PMMA composites after demulsification and graphene/PBA-PMMA composites after chemical reduction of GO. The as-prepared powdery materials were processed into thin films by compression molding at room temperature as the result of a pressure-induced mixing mechanism of microphase-separated baroplastics. The presence of oxygen-containing groups for GO sheets contributed to better dispersion and stronger interface with the matrix, thereby showing greater reinforcement efficiency toward polymers compared to graphene sheets. In addition, both Young's modulus and yield strength for all materials increased with applied pressure and processing time due to better flowability, processability and cohesion at higher pressure and longer time. Low-temperature processing under pressure is of significance for energy conservation, recyclability and environmental protection during plastic processing.