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Nanocomposites reinforced with graphene-based materials: characterisation and modelling of microstructure

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thesis
posted on 2017-06-15, 15:16 authored by Osman Bayrak
Graphene-based materials (GBMs) have found utility in a broad range of applications, including reinforcement of nanocomposites. With the introduction of GBMs, nanocomposites gain a microstructure that affects their physical properties. Microstructural characteristics of nanocomposites reinforced with GBMs and their influence on effective mechanical properties of such composites were studied in this thesis. The main focus of this study was on nanocomposites with sodium alginate (SA) matrix and graphene oxide (GO) fillers. The state of exfoliation of the fillers was found to influence effective elastic moduli of the studied nanocomposites more than the orientation distribution of the fillers does. Microscale spatial distribution of GO fillers was found not to have any influence on the modulus. For a more accurate assessment of microstructures, the effect of manufacturing methods of GBMs and GBM-reinforced nanocomposites on their morphology and microstructure was reviewed. Geometrical features of GBM flakes, their effect on structure of a matrix and affinity between the matrix and the reinforcements were analysed. [Continues.]

History

School

  • Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering

Publisher

© Osman Bayrak

Publisher statement

This work is made available according to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) licence. Full details of this licence are available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Publication date

2016

Notes

A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.

Language

  • en