Issue

Vol. 14 (2022)

Self-Exfoliation of Flake Graphite for Bioinspired Compositing with Aramid Nanofiber toward Integration of Mechanical and Thermoconductive Properties

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-022-00919-0
Limei Huang
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People’s Republic of China
Guang Xiao
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People’s Republic of China
Yunjing Wang
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People’s Republic of China
Hao Li
College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People’s Republic of China
Yahong Zhou
CAS Key Laboratory of Bio‑Inspired Materials and Interface Sciences, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry Chinese, Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
Lei Jiang
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People’s Republic of China
Jianfeng Wang
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Jianfeng Wang

wangjianfeng@hnu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 14 (2022), Article Number: 168

Abstract

Flexible yet highly thermoconductive materials are essential for the development of next-generation flexible electronic devices. Herein, we report a bioinspired nanostructured film with the integration of large ductility and high thermal conductivity based on self-exfoliated pristine graphene and three-dimensional aramid nanofiber network. A self-grinding strategy to directly exfoliate flake graphite into few-layer and few-defect pristine graphene is successfully developed through mutual shear friction between graphite particles, generating largely enhanced yield and productivity in comparison to normal liquid-based exfoliation strategies, such as ultrasonication, high-shear mixing and ball milling. Inspired by nacre, a new bioinspired layered structural design model containing three-dimensional nanofiber network is proposed and implemented with an interconnected aramid nanofiber network and high-loading graphene nanosheets by a developed continuous assembly strategy of sol–gel-film transformation. It is revealed that the bioinspired film not only exhibits nacre-like ductile deformation behavior by releasing the hidden length of curved aramid nanofibers, but also possesses good thermal transport ability by directionally conducting heat along pristine graphene nanosheets.


Highlights:


1 A self-grinding exfoliation strategy that depends on mutual shear friction between flake graphite particles is successfully developed to prepare pristine graphene with largely enhanced yield and productivity.
2 Bioinspired assembly of pristine graphene nanosheets to an interconnected aramid nanofiber network is achieved by a continuous sol-gel-film transformation strategy and generates a flexible yet highly thermoconductive film.

Keywords

Graphene Aramid nanofiber Self-grinding exfoliation Bioinspired structure Functional material
Huang, Limei, Guang Xiao, Yunjing Wang, Hao Li, Yahong Zhou, Lei Jiang, and Jianfeng Wang. 2022. “Self-Exfoliation of Flake Graphite for Bioinspired Compositing With Aramid Nanofiber Toward Integration of Mechanical and Thermoconductive Properties”. Nano-Micro Letters 14 (August):168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-022-00919-0.
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
References
  1. L. Peng, Z. Xu, Z. Liu, Y. Guo, P. Li et al., Ultrahigh thermal conductive yet superflexible graphene films. Adv. Mater. 29(27), 1700589 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201700589
  2. J. Wang, Y. Wu, Y. Xue, D. Liu, X. Wang et al., Super-compatible functional boron nitride nanosheets/polymer films with excellent mechanical properties and ultra-high thermal conductivity for thermal management. J. Mater. Chem. C 6(6), 1363–1369 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1039/c7tc04860b
  3. X. Zeng, J. Sun, Y. Yao, R. Sun, J.B. Xu et al., A combination of boron nitride nanotubes and cellulose nanofibers for the preparation of a nanocomposite with high thermal conductivity. ACS Nano 11(5), 5167–5178 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.7b02359
  4. Y. Wang, S. Xia, H. Li, J. Wang, Unprecedentedly tough, folding-endurance, and multifunctional graphene-based artificial nacre with predesigned 3D nanofiber network as matrix. Adv. Funct. Mater. 29(38), 1903876 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201903876
  5. H. Zhu, Y. Li, Z. Fang, J. Xu, F. Cao et al., Highly thermally conductive papers with percolative layered boron nitride nanosheets. ACS Nano 8(4), 3606–3613 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1021/nn500134m
  6. Y. Lin, Q. Kang, H. Wei, H. Bao, P. Jiang et al., Spider web-inspired graphene skeleton-based high thermal conductivity phase change nanocomposites for battery thermal management. Nano-Micro Lett. 13, 180 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-021-00702-7
  7. X. Huang, C. Zhi, Y. Lin, H. Bao, G. Wu et al., Thermal conductivity of graphene-based polymer nanocomposites. Mater. Sci. Eng. R Rep. 142, 100577 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mser.2020.100577
  8. Y. Fu, J. Hansson, Y. Liu, S. Chen, A. Zehri et al., Graphene related materials for thermal management. 2D Mater. 7(1), 012001 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1583/ab48d9
  9. Y. Song, F. Jiang, N. Song, L. Shi, P. Ding, Multilayered structural design of flexible films for smart thermal management. Compos. Part A Appl. Sci. Manuf. 141, 106222 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2020.106222
  10. J.H. Seol, I. Jo, A.L. Moore, L. Lindsay, Z.H. Aitken et al., Two-dimensional phonon transport in supported graphene. Science 328(5975), 213–216 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1184014
  11. X. Du, I. Skachko, A. Barker, E.Y. Andrei, Approaching ballistic transport in suspended graphene. Nat. Nanotechnol. 3(8), 491–495 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2008.199
  12. A.A. Balandin, Thermal properties of graphene and nanostructured carbon materials. Nat. Mater. 10(8), 569–581 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat3064
  13. Z. Yang, R. Gao, N. Hu, J. Chai, Y. Cheng et al., The prospective two-dimensional graphene nanosheets: preparation, functionalization, and applications. Nano-Micro Lett. 4, 1–9 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03353684
  14. A. Ciesielski, S. Haar, A. Aliprandi, M.E. Garah, G. Tregnago et al., Modifying the size of ultrasound-induced liquid-phase exfoliated graphene: from nanosheets to nanodots. ACS Nano 10(12), 10768–10777 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.6b03823
  15. Y. Hernandez, V. Nicolosi, M. Lotya, F.M. Blighe, Z. Sun et al., High-yield production of graphene by liquid-phase exfoliation of graphite. Nat. Nanotechnol. 3(9), 563–568 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2008.215
  16. A. Pattammattel, C.V. Kumar, Kitchen chemistry 101: multigram production of high quality biographene in a blender with edible proteins. Adv. Funct. Mater. 25(45), 7088–7098 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201503247
  17. K.R. Paton, E. Varrla, C. Backes, R.J. Smith, U. Khan et al., Scalable production of large quantities of defect-free few-layer graphene by shear exfoliation in liquids. Nat. Mater. 13(6), 624–630 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat3944
  18. D.S. Kim, J.M. Jeong, H.J. Park, Y.K. Kim, K.G. Lee et al., Highly concentrated, conductive, defect-free graphene ink for screen-printed sensor application. Nano-Micro Lett. 13, 87 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-021-00617-3
  19. D. Shi, M. Yang, B. Chang, Z. Ai, K. Zhang et al., Ultrasonic-ball milling: a novel strategy to prepare large-size ultrathin 2D materials. Small 16(13), e1906734 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201906734
  20. C. Teng, D. Xie, J. Wang, Z. Yang, G. Ren et al., Ultrahigh conductive graphene paper based on ball-milling exfoliated graphene. Adv. Funct. Mater. 27(20), 1700240 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201700240
  21. L. Niu, J.N. Coleman, H. Zhang, H. Shin, M. Chhowalla et al., Production of two-dimensional nanomaterials via liquid-based direct exfoliation. Small 12(3), 272–293 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201502207
  22. T. Zhou, Q. Cheng, Chemical strategies for making strong graphene materials. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60(34), 18397–18410 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202102761
  23. A. Walther, I. Bjurhager, J.M. Malho, J. Pere, J. Ruokolainen et al., Large-area, lightweight and thick biomimetic composites with superior material properties via fast, economic, and green pathways. Nano Lett. 10(8), 2742–2748 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl1003224
  24. A. Eckert, M. Abbasi, T. Mang, K. Saalwächter, A. Walther, Structure, mechanical properties, and dynamics of polyethylenoxide/nanoclay nacre-mimetic nanocomposites. Macromolecules 53(5), 1716–1725 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.9b01931
  25. F. Lossada, D. Jiao, D. Hoenders, A. Walther, Recyclable and light-adaptive vitrimer-based nacre-mimetic nanocomposites. ACS Nano 15(3), 5043–5055 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.0c10001
  26. H. Yao, J. Ge, L. Mao, Y. Yan, S. Yu, 25th anniversary : artificial carbonate nanocrystals and layered structural nanocomposites inspired by nacre: synthesis, fabrication and applications. Adv. Mater. 26(1), 163–187 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201303470
  27. H. Yao, Z. Tan, H. Fang, S. Yu, Artificial nacre-like bionanocomposite films from the self-assembly of chitosan-montmorillonite hybrid building blocks. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 49(52), 10127–10131 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201004748
  28. S. Li, L. Mao, H. Gao, H. Yao, S. Yu, Bio-inspired clay nanosheets/polymer matrix/mineral nanofibers ternary composite films with optimal balance of strength and toughness. Sci. China Mater. 60(10), 909–917 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-017-9102-1
  29. P. Liu, X. Li, P. Min, X. Chang, C. Shu et al., 3D lamellar-structured graphene aerogels for thermal interface composites with high through-plane thermal conductivity and fracture toughness. Nano-Micro Lett. 13, 22 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-020-00548-5
  30. J. Han, G. Du, W. Gao, H. Bai, An anisotropically high thermal conductive boron nitride/epoxy composite based on nacre-mimetic 3D network. Adv. Funct. Mater. 29(13), 1900412 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201900412
  31. J. Peng, C. Huang, C. Cao, E. Saiz, Y. Du et al., Inverse nacre-like epoxy-graphene layered nanocomposites with integration of high toughness and self-monitoring. Matter 2(1), 220–232 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2019.08.013
  32. H. Bai, F. Walsh, B. Gludovatz, B. Delattre, C. Huang et al., Bioinspired hydroxyapatite/poly(methyl methacrylate) composite with a nacre-mimetic architecture by a bidirectional freezing method. Adv. Mater. 28(1), 50–56 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201504313
  33. P. Song, B. Liu, C. Liang, K. Ruan, H. Qiu et al., Lightweight, flexible cellulose-derived carbon aerogel@reduced graphene oxide/pdms composites with outstanding EMI shielding performances and excellent thermal conductivities. Nano-Micro Lett. 13, 91 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-021-00624-4
  34. S. Liu, J. Liu, Z. Xu, Y. Liu, P. Li et al., Artificial bicontinuous laminate synergistically reinforces and toughens dilute graphene composites. ACS Nano 12(11), 11236–11243 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.8b05835
  35. S. Wan, Y. Chen, S. Fang, S. Wang, Z. Xu et al., High-strength scalable graphene sheets by freezing stretch-induced alignment. Nat. Mater. 20(5), 624–631 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-020-00892-2
  36. T. Hu, Y. Song, J. Di, D. Xie, C. Teng, Highly thermally conductive layered polymer composite from solvent-exfoliated pristine graphene. Carbon 140, 596–602 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2018.09.026
  37. C. Zhao, P. Zhang, J. Zhou, S. Qi, Y. Yamauchi et al., Layered nanocomposites by shear-flow-induced alignment of nanosheets. Nature 580(7802), 210–215 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2161-8
  38. M.A. Meyers, J. McKittrick, P.Y. Chen, Structural biological materials: critical mechanics-materials connections. Science 339(6121), 773–779 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1220854
  39. M.I. Lopez, P.Y. Chen, J. McKittrick, M.A. Meyers, Growth of nacre in abalone: seasonal and feeding effects. Mater. Sci. Eng. C 31(2), 238–245 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2010.09.003
  40. J. Wang, Q. Cheng, Z. Tang, Layered nanocomposites inspired by the structure and mechanical properties of nacre. Chem. Soc. Rev. 41(3), 1111–1129 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1039/c1cs15106a
  41. D. Lee, B. Lee, K.H. Park, H.J. Ryu, S. Jeon et al., Scalable exfoliation process for highly soluble boron nitride nanoplatelets by hydroxide-assisted ball milling. Nano Lett. 15(2), 1238–1244 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl504397h
  42. A. Stolle, T. Szuppa, S.E. Leonhardt, B. Ondruschka, Ball milling in organic synthesis: solutions and challenges. Chem. Soc. Rev. 40(5), 2317–2329 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1039/c0cs00195c
  43. T.S. Tran, S.J. Park, S.S. Yoo, T.R. Lee, T. Kim, High shear-induced exfoliation of graphite into high quality graphene by taylor-couette flow. RSC Adv. 6(15), 12003–12008 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1039/c5ra22273g
  44. V. Trappe, V. Prasad, L. Cipelletti, P.N. Segre, D.A. Weitz, Jamming phase diagram for attractive ps. Nature 411(6839), 772–775 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35081021
  45. C. Vallés, R.J. Young, D.J. Lomax, I.A. Kinloch, The rheological behaviour of concentrated dispersions of graphene oxide. J. Mater. Sci. 49(18), 6311–6320 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8356-3
  46. D. Chan, R.L. Powell, Rheology of suspensions of spherical ps in a newtonian and a non-newtonian fluid. J. Non-Newton. Fluid Mechan. 15(2), 165–179 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-0257(84)80004-X
  47. M. Yang, K. Cao, L. Sui, Y. Qi, J. Zhu et al., Dispersions of aramid nanofibers: a new nanoscale building block. ACS Nano 5(9), 6945–6954 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1021/nn2014003
  48. B. Yang, L. Wang, M. Zhang, J. Luo, Z. Lu et al., Fabrication, applications, and prospects of aramid nanofiber. Adv. Funct. Mater. 30(22), 2000186 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202000186
  49. E. Songfeng, Q. Ma, D. Ning, J. Huang, Z. Jin et al., Bio-inspired covalent crosslink of aramid nanofibers film for improved mechanical performances. Compos. Sci. Technol. 201, 108514 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2020.108514
  50. Q. Su, S. Pang, V. Alijani, C. Li, X. Feng et al., Composites of graphene with large aromatic molecules. Adv. Mater. 21(31), 3191–3195 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.200803808
  51. W. Yang, Z. Zhao, K. Wu, R. Huang, T. Liu et al., Ultrathin flexible reduced graphene oxide/cellulose nanofiber composite films with strongly anisotropic thermal conductivity and efficient electromagnetic interference shielding. J. Mater. Chem. C 5(15), 3748–3756 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1039/c7tc00400a
Read More
Author biographies are not available.
Download this PDF file
PDF SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL
Statistic
Read Counter : 5485 Download : 4135

Most read articles by the same author(s)