Enhancement of the interfacial interaction between poly(vinyl chloride) and zinc oxide modified reduced graphene oxide

Abstract

To obtain a satisfactory performance of the polymer/graphene composite, it is extremely important to improve the interfacial interaction between the filler and the polymeric matrix. In this study, we aimed to enhance the interfacial interaction between poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) by decorating rGO with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles. A one-pot chemical route for the synthesis of rGO loaded with ZnO nanoparticles (rGO-ZnO) was achieved by mixing graphene oxide (GO) and zinc nitrate (Zn(NO₃)₂) in water and then gradually adding sodium hydroxide and hydrazine hydrate. The resulting rGO-ZnO hybrid was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electrochemical analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The PVC/rGO-ZnO composites were fabricated by a simple solution mixing and drop casting. The enhancement of the interfacial interaction between PVC and rGO-ZnO was evaluated using tensile tests, interfacial tension and glass transition analysis. The results revealed that the ZnO nanoparticles acted as a ‘bridge’, connecting with PVC via electrostatic attraction/hydrogen bonding and connecting with rGO by a p–π stacking/electrostatic interaction. Thanks to the strong interfacial interaction, both the mechanical properties and the glass transition temperature were significantly enhanced.