TY - JOUR A1 - Meyer-Plath, Asmus A1 - Beckert, F A1 - Tölle, FJ A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Mülhaupt, R T1 - Stable aqueous dispersions of functionalized multi-layer graphene by pulsed underwater plasma exfoliation of graphite N2 - A process was developed for graphite particle exfoliation in water to stably dispersed multi-layer graphene. It uses electrohydraulic shockwaves and the functionalizing effect of solution plasma discharges in water. The discharges were excited by 100 ns high voltage pulsing of graphite particle chains that bridge an electrode gap. The underwater discharges allow simultaneous exfoliation and chemical functionalization of graphite particles to partially oxidized multi-layer graphene. Exfoliation is caused by shockwaves that result from rapid evaporation of carbon and water to plasma-excited gas species. Depending on discharge energy and locus of ignition, the shockwaves cause stirring, erosion, exfoliation and/or expansion of graphite flakes. The process was optimized to produce long-term stable aqueous dispersions of multi-layer graphene from graphite in a single process step without requiring addition of intercalants, surfactants, binders or special solvents. A setup was developed that allows continuous production of aqueous dispersions of flake size-selected multi-layer graphenes. Due to the well-preserved sp(2)-carbon structure, thin films made from the dispersed graphene exhibited high electrical conductivity. Underwater plasma discharge processing exhibits high innovation potential for morphological and chemical modifications of carbonaceous materials and surfaces, especially for the generation of stable dispersions of two-dimensional, layered materials. KW - Exfoliation KW - Graphene KW - Aqueous dispersion KW - Solution plasma KW - Functionalization KW - Electrohydraulic effect KW - Shear exfoliation KW - Oxide-films KW - Water PY - 2016 DO - https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/49/4/045301 SN - 0022-3727 VL - 49 IS - 4 SP - 045301-1 EP - 045301-11 AN - OPUS4-35796 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yin, Huajie A1 - Dittrich, Bettina A1 - Farooq, Muhammad A1 - Kerling, S. A1 - Wartig, K.-A. A1 - Hofmann, D. A1 - Huth, Christian A1 - Okolieocha, C. A1 - Altstädt, V. A1 - Schönhals, Andreas A1 - Schartel, Bernhard T1 - Carbon-based nanofillers/poly(butylene terephthalate): thermal, dielectric, electrical and rheological properties N2 - The influence of distinct carbon based nanofillers: expanded graphite (EG), conducting carbon black (CB), thermally reduced graphene oxide (TRGO) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) on the thermal, dielectric, electrical and rheological properties of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) was examined. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of PBT nanocomposites is independent of the filler type and content. The carbon particles act as nucleation agents and significantly affect the melting temperature (Tm), the crystallization temperature (Tc) and the degree of crystallinity of PBT composites. PBT composites with EG show insulating behaviour over the tested concentration range of 0.5 to 2 wt.-% and hardly changed rheological behaviour. CB, CNT and TRGO induce electrical conductivity to their particular PBT composites by forming a conducting particle network within the polymer matrix. CNT reached the percolation threshold at the lowest concentration (<0.5 wt.-%), followed by TRGO (<1 wt.-%) and CB (<2 wt.-%). With the formation of a particle network, the flow behaviour of composites with CB, CNT and TRGO is affected, i.e., a flow limit occurs and the melt viscosity increases. The degree of influence of the carbon nanofillers on the rheological properties of PBT composites follows the same order as for electrical conductivity. Electrical and rheological results suggest an influence attributed to the particle dispersion, which is proposed to follow the order of EG<< CB31 vol%). TRGO strengthens the residue structure of MH and therefore functions as a strong synergist in terms of OI and UL 94 classification (from HB to V-0). KW - Graphene KW - Intumescence KW - Ammonium polyphosphate KW - Magnesium hydroxide KW - Synergy KW - Polypropylene PY - 2014 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-320685 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/polym6112875 SN - 2073-4360 VL - 6 IS - 11 SP - 2875 EP - 2895 PB - MDPI CY - Basel AN - OPUS4-32068 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ehlert, Christopher A1 - Unger, Wolfgang A1 - Saalfrank, P. T1 - C K-edge NEXAFS spectra of graphene with physical and chemical defects: a study based on density functional theory N2 - Recently, C K-edge Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectra of graphite (HOPG) surfaces have been measured for the pristine material, and for HOPG treated with either bromine or krypton plasmas (Lippitz et al., Surf. Sci., 2013, 611, L1). Changes of the NEXAFS spectra characteristic for physical (krypton) and/or chemical/physical modifications of the surface (bromine) upon plasma treatment were observed. Their molecular origin, however, remained elusive. In this work we study by density functional theory, the effects of selected point and line defects as well as chemical modifications on NEXAFS carbon K-edge spectra of single graphene layers. For Br-treated surfaces, also Br 3d X-ray Photoelectron Spectra (XPS) are simulated by a cluster approach, to identify possible chemical modifications. We observe that some of the defects related to plasma treatment lead to characteristic changes of NEXAFS spectra, similar to those in experiment. Theory provides possible microscopic origins for these changes. KW - Graphene KW - NEXAFS KW - Spectrum simulation KW - Density functional theory PY - 2014 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-309658 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/c4cp01106f SN - 1463-9076 SN - 1463-9084 VL - 16 IS - 27 SP - 14083 EP - 14095 PB - The Royal Soc. of Chemistry CY - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-30965 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Friedrich, Jörg Florian A1 - Hidde, Gundula A1 - Lippitz, Andreas A1 - Unger, Wolfgang T1 - Plasma bromination of graphene for covalent bonding of organic molecules N2 - Plasma-chemical bromination applied to graphitic materials, in particular to highly ordered pyrolytic graphite is reviewed. The resulting bromination efficiency of the plasma-chemical treatment was subject of systematic process optimization. The plasma of elemental bromine vapour produced bromine concentrations on graphene surfaces of more than 30 % Br/C using either inductively or capacitively coupled low-pressure radio-frequency plasmas. Plasma brominated graphite surfaces have been studied by Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The introduction of bromine into graphene-like graphite layers and its binding situation were investigated. To study the physical effect of the plasma bromination process, Kr plasma was also used because of its chemical inertness but similar atomic mass. Covering the samples with a Faraday cage or with a LiF window should help to differentiate between physical, chemical and radiation effects of the plasma. Bromination was assigned to radical or electrophilic addition of bromine onto fully substituted aromatic double bonds (sp² C) with exothermal reaction enthalpy. Low bromination shows a strong decay of aromatic double bonds, higher bromination percentage let disappear all aromatic rings. The formed C–Br bonds were well suited for efficient grafting of organic molecules by post-plasma wet-chemical nucleophilic substitution. This grafting onto the graphene surface was demonstrated using aminosilane and different diamines. The bromination of double bonds changes the hybridization of carbon atoms from plane sp² to tetrahedral sp³ hybridization. Thus, the plane topography of graphene is destroyed and the conductivity is lost. KW - Graphene KW - Bromination KW - Grafting of diamines KW - Plasma KW - Organic graphting PY - 2014 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11090-013-9509-x SN - 0272-4324 VL - 34 SP - 621 EP - 645 PB - Plenum Publ. Corp. CY - New York, NY, USA AN - OPUS4-30575 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Som, Tirtha A1 - Troppenz, G.V. A1 - Wendt, R. R. A1 - Wollgarten, M. A1 - Rappich, J. A1 - Emmerling, Franziska A1 - Rademann, Klaus T1 - Graphene oxide/alpha-Bi2O3 composites for visible-light photocatalysis, chemical catalysis, and solar energy conversion N2 - The growing challenges of environmental purification by solar photocatalysis, precious-metal-free catalysis, and photocurrent generation in photovoltaic cells receive the utmost global attention. Here we demonstrate a one-pot, green chemical synthesis of a new stable heterostructured, ecofriendly, multifunctional microcomposite that consists of α-Bi2O3 microneedles intercalated with anchored graphene oxide (GO) microsheets (1.0 wt?%) for the above-mentioned applications on a large economical scale. The bare α-Bi2O3 microneedles display two times better photocatalytic activities than commercial TiO2 (Degussa-P25), whereas the GO-hybridized composite exhibits approximately four to six times enhanced photocatalytic activities than the neat TiO2 photocatalyst in the degradation of colored aromatic organic dyes (crystal violet and rhodamine 6G) under visible-light irradiation (300 W tungsten lamp). The highly efficient activity is associated with the strong surface adsorption ability of GO for aromatic dye molecules, the high carrier acceptability, and the efficient electron–hole pair separation in Bi2O3 by individual adjoining GO sheets. The introduction of Ag nanoparticles (2.0 wt?%) further enhances the photocatalytic performance of the composite over eightfold because of a plasmon-induced electron-transfer process from Ag nanoparticles through the GO sheets into the conduction band of Bi2O3. The new composites are also catalytically active and catalyze the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol in the presence of borohydride ions. Photoanodes assembled from GO/α-Bi2O3 and Ag/GO/α-Bi2O3 composites display an improved photocurrent response (power conversion efficiency ~20?% higher) over those prepared without GO in dye-sensitized solar cells. KW - Bismuth KW - Dyes/pigments KW - Environmental chemistry KW - Graphene KW - Photochemistry PY - 2014 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.201300990 SN - 1864-5631 SN - 1864-564X VL - 7 IS - 3 SP - 854 EP - 865 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-30390 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hofmann, D. A1 - Wartig, K.-A. A1 - Thomann, R. A1 - Dittrich, Bettina A1 - Schartel, Bernhard A1 - Mülhaupt, R. T1 - Functionalized graphene and carbon materials as additives for melt-extruded flame retardant polypropylene N2 - Functionalized graphene nanosheets TRGO and MLG 250, prepared from thermally reduced graphite oxide, represent attractive carbon additives for improving the performance of flame retardant polypropylene (PP-FR). The influence of carbon nanofiller type and content on morphology, thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties as well as the fire behavior of melt-extruded PP-FR is investigated. In contrast to conventional nano- and micron-sized carbon fillers such as expanded graphite (EG 40), nano-scaled carbon black (CB), and multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNT), only TRGO and MLG 250 afford uniform dispersion combined with simultaneously improved stiffness (+80%), electrical conductivity (3 × 10-5 S · cm-1) and enhanced flame retardancy of PP-FR, as expressed by lower peak heat release rate (-76%). KW - Extrusion KW - Flame retardance KW - Graphene KW - Nanocomposite KW - Polypropylene PY - 2013 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/mame.201200433 SN - 1438-7492 SN - 1439-2054 VL - 298 IS - 12 SP - 1322 EP - 1334 PB - Wiley-VCH Verl. CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-29817 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dittrich, Bettina A1 - Wartig, K.-A. A1 - Hofmann, D. A1 - Mülhaupt, R. A1 - Schartel, Bernhard T1 - Carbon black, multiwall carbon nanotubes, expanded graphite and functionalized graphene flame retarded polypropylene nanocomposites N2 - Herein, we examine the influence of adding functionalized graphene (FG), distinct expanded graphites and carbon nanofillers such as carbon black and multiwall carbon nanotubes on mechanical properties, morphology, pyrolysis, response to small flame and burning behavior of a V-2 classified flame-retarded polypropylene (PP). Among carbon fillers, FG and multilayer graphene (MLG) containing fewer than 10 layers are very effectively dispersed during twin-screw extrusion and account for enhanced matrix reinforcement. In contrast to the other fillers, no large agglomerates are detected for PP-FR/FG and PP-FR/MLG, as verified by electron microscopy. Adding FG to flame-retardant PP prevents dripping due to reduced flow at low shear rates and shifts the onset of thermal decomposition to temperatures 40°C higher. The increase in the onset temperature correlates with the increasing specific surface areas (BET) of the layered carbon fillers. The reduction of the peak heat release rate by 76% is attributed to the formation of effective protection layers during combustion. The addition of layered carbon nanoparticles lowers the time to ignition. The presence of carbon does not change the composition of the evolved pyrolysis gases, as determined by thermogravimetric analysis combined with online Fourier-transformed infrared measurements. FG and well-exfoliated MLG are superior additives with respect to spherical and tubular carbon nanomaterials. KW - Graphene KW - Flame retardancy KW - Nanocomposites KW - Polypropylene KW - Carbon nanoparticles PY - 2013 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/pat.3165 SN - 1042-7147 SN - 1099-1581 VL - 24 IS - 10 SP - 916 EP - 926 PB - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. CY - Chichester AN - OPUS4-29337 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dittrich, Bettina A1 - Wartig, K.-A. A1 - Hofmann, D. A1 - Mülhaupt, R. A1 - Schartel, Bernhard T1 - Flame retardancy through carbon nanomaterials: carbon black, multiwall nanotubes, expanded graphite, multi layer graphene and graphene in polypropylene N2 - Herein we investigate the influence of carbon additives with different particle sizes and shapes on the flame retardancy and mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene. Thermally reduced graphite oxide (TRGO) and multi-layer graphene (MLG250), consisting of few graphene layers, are compared with spherical, tubular and platelet-like carbon fillers such as carbon black (CB), multiwall nanotubes (MWNT) and expanded graphite (EG). The different morphologies control the dispersion of the carbon particles in PP and play a key role in structure–property relationships. Uniformly dispersed CB, MLG250 and TRGO shift the onset temperature of PP decomposition to temperatures around 30 °C higher, induce a flow limit in the composites' melt viscosity and change drastically their fire behaviour. The prevented dripping and significantly increased heat absorption result in decreased time to ignition and hardly any change in the reaction to a small flame. Under forced-flaming conditions reductions in the peak heat release rate of up to 74% are achieved due to the formation of a protective layer of residue during combustion. The described effects of carbon nanomaterials on the properties of PP composites are most pronounced for well-exfoliated graphenes, making them preferable to less exfoliated, micron-sized expanded graphite or conventional spherical and tubular carbon nanoparticles. KW - Polypropylene KW - Flame retardancy KW - Nanocomposites KW - Graphene KW - Carbon nanomaterials KW - Thermally reduced graphite oxide PY - 2013 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2013.04.009 SN - 0141-3910 SN - 1873-2321 VL - 98 IS - 8 SP - 1495 EP - 1505 PB - Applied Science Publ. CY - London AN - OPUS4-28638 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -