title: Enhancing the electrical conductivity of a hybrid POSS-PCL/graphene nanocomposite polymer.
abstract: An electrically conductive polymer using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanocage incorporated into a modified poly [caprolactone based urea-urethane] (PCL)/graphene hybrid nanocomposite is described. Multilayer graphene flakes (8nm) were homogeneously dispersed into POSS-PCL at 0.1, 2, 5, and 10wt.% concentrations. This dispersion process of the graphene flakes was achieved by the use of stable dimethylacetamide (DMAc), via solution intercalation with POSS-PCL nanocomposites. The impedance spectroscopy of 5.0wt.% and higher concentration of graphene in POSS-PCL represented major improvement in conductivity over pristine POSS-PCL. The percolation threshold occurred at 5.0wt.% graphene concentration, converting the insulator POSS-PCL into a conductive POSS-PCL/graphene hybrid nanocomposite. The structures of the obtained hybrid materials were characterized with atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR), and Raman spectroscopy. The conductivity of the resultant nanocomposite polymer was investigated with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Herein, for the first time, we demonstrate a facile method of synthesizing, and describe the electrical properties of a conductive POSS-PCL/graphene nanocomposite polymer.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
authors.forename: Toktam
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nezakati
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust Hospital, London, UK. Electronic address: a.seifalian@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Seifalian
keywords: Conductive polymers; Graphene; Nanocomposites; POSS–PCL; Percolation; Polycaprolactone