Preparation and characterization of polypropylene-graft-thermally reduced graphite oxide with an improved compatibility with polypropylene-based nanocomposite

Abstract

Polypropylene was successfully covalently grafted onto the surface of thermally reduced graphite oxide (PP-g-TRGO) by taking advantage of the "residual oxygen-containing functional groups" and the "grafting to" method. The PP-g-TRGO obtained showed an improved compatibility, and interfacial interaction, with an isotactic PP (iPP) matrix. The iPP/PP-g-TRGO nanocomposite exhibited a dramatically improved thermal stability compared to that of neat iPP even at low loadings.