Research of functional graphene nanosheets modified carbon fiber reinforced cyanate ester resin composites on thermal and electrical conductivities properties

Carbon-based nanoparticles are popular in filling polymer composites. However, owing to the problems such as aggregation, the interface interaction between polymer and nanofillers, the carbon-based nanoparticles may not evenly disperse in the polymers. In this study, the functional graphene nanoparticles (FGNs) were chosen to fill the cyanate ester resin (CE) matrix and the cyanate ester/carbon fiber (CE/CF) composites. The FGNs/CE and FGNs/CE/CF composites, filled with ultrahigh volume contents of FGNs, were prepared by solution blend and presoak methods and the comprehensive performances of FGNs/CE and FGNs/CE/CF composites were investigated. The results showed that the addition of FGNs formed an interconnected network within the resin matrix. The thermal conductivity of the FGNs/CE/CF composites was 5.10 W/m K, which was higher than that of the FGNs/CE composites, the thermal conductivity of which was 4.89 W/m K. However, the electrical conductivity of the FGNs/CE composites was higher than that of the FGNs/CE/CF composites at a given volume content. An inflexion appeared on the electrical conductivity curve of FGNs/CE/CF composites, when volume content of the FGNs was more than 40 vol%, the FGNs and CE resin formed a relatively complete network led to the inflexion disappear. The introduction of the FGNs made the flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength of the FGNs/CE/CF to rise and fall. The thermal property of the FGNs/CE composites was enhanced with FGNs volume contents increased.