From waste rubber to customized graphene/polymer nanocomposites: Thermal stability, flame retardancy and electrical conductivity
Waste rubber management through developing blends of thermoplastics with ground tire rubber (GTR) has gained significant attention for creating sustainable, high-performance materials with enhanced properties. In this work, we developed customized graphene/polymer nanocomposites applying GTR, ethyle...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Budapest University of Technology and Economics
2025-09-01
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| Series: | eXPRESS Polymer Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.expresspolymlett.com/article.php?a=EPL-0013286 |
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| Summary: | Waste rubber management through developing blends of thermoplastics with ground tire rubber (GTR) has gained significant attention for creating sustainable, high-performance materials with enhanced properties. In this work, we developed customized graphene/polymer nanocomposites applying GTR, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), taking carbon black (CB) as the reference additive. A wide range of electrical conductivity from 10–12 S/cm (dielectric) to 10–5 S/cm (semiconductor) was obtained for optimized composites containing GNPs and CB, respectively. Thermal, mechanical, and flame-retardant properties looked promising for additive manufacturing, while electrical conductivity was tailored for soft electronics. In view of processability, mechanical strength, and elasticity, GNPs-incorporated EVA/GTR composites showed an edge over their CB-aided counterparts. For example, tensile strength and elongation at break of EVA/GTR blends reinforced with 20 phr GNPs were 4.8 MPa and 681%, respectively, compared to 4.0 MPa and 651% for the composite comprising an identical amount of CB. Interestingly, combining GNPs and CB enhanced the thermal stability and flame retardancy of EVA/GTR compared to only GNPs or CB. These results were promising from both sustainability and advanced functional materials perspectives. |
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| ISSN: | 1788-618X |