One‐step synthesis of graphene nanoplatelets/SiO2 hybrid materials with excellent toughening performance

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs)/SiO₂ hybrid materials had been prepared successfully via chemical grafting in one step. Herein, SiO₂ particles and GNPs were connected by poly acryloyl chloride (PACl). The results from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that functionalized GNPs and SiO₂ particles had been successfully bridged with chemical bonds like O CO and Si O C. And the nanostructure of hybrid materials was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. All the images indicated that SiO₂ particles were grafted on the surface of GNPs successfully. Moreover, the result of Raman spectroscopy showed that carbon atoms of GNPs became much more disorder, due to destroying the carbon domains during the process of chemical drafting. Meaningfully, the results from tensile tests indicated that Graphene/SiO₂ hybrid materials had better toughening effect on epoxy composites than graphene oxide and SiO₂ particles. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:907–912, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers