Experimental Assessment of the Mechanical Performance of Graphene Nanoplatelets Coated Polymers

This study presents the effect of spray-coated graphene nanoplatelets on the mechanical response of various polymers to cyclic loadings. The substrates material (three polymers) and the coating (various numbers of coating layers) are assessed. The experimental results suggest that the compressive stiffness, compressive modulus, damping, and energy dissipation of the samples coated with graphene nanoplatelets improve with respect to the uncoated samples. The outcomes of this experimental research highlight the feasibility of utilizing films of graphene nanoplatelets to improve the mechanical properties of polymers for vibration isolation, foreseeing application in various environments, for instance, in buildings and infrastructures (bridges, railways) for seismic and acoustic isolation. Graphene supercharges polymers for superior vibration isolation! This intriguing study reveals spray-coated graphene films dramatically enhanced key mechanical properties of three polymers under cyclic loading, including stiffness, modulus, damping, and energy dissipation. What enables graphene to strengthen diverse polymers? How might these coatings be applied for next-gen structural seismic isolation? Read this article to uncover the potential of graphene-polymer composites.image (c) 2023 WILEY-VCH GmbH