Thermal Properties and Barrier Performance of Antibacterial High-Density Polyethylene Reinforced with Carboxyl Graphene-Grafted Modified High-Density Polyethylene

In this study, carboxyl graphene-grafted modified high-density polyethylene (CG-g-MHDPE), a new nano-material prepared from grafting MHDPE with CG, was combined with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) through melt-mixing to prepare HDPE/CG-g-MHDPE nanocomposites (with different proportions of HDPE and CG-g-MHDPE). It is hoped that the new nano-material could reduce the occurrence of graphene agglomeration in nonpolar substrates. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed that CG-g-MHDPE was successfully synthesized. The results from microscopic characterization, mechanical performance test, thermal analysis, and barrier-property evaluation indicated that the mechanical properties, crystallinity, thermal properties, and barrier properties of HDPE/CG-g-MHDPE nanocomposites with a low content of CG-g-MHDPE (4 and 8%) were greatly improved compared with those of pure HDPE, and the compatibility between graphene and HDPE was effectively enhanced. With increasing added amount of CG-g-MHDPE, the overall performance of the nanocomposites decreased significantly. Adding 8% CG-g-MHDPE led to the production of a nanocomposite with the best performance. Reinforced HDPE nanocomposites with better performance would have a wider range of applications.