Size Effect on the High-Strength and Electrically Conductive Polyolefin/Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO) Composites

Size-controlled alkylated reduced graphene oxide (M-LTRGO) with a narrow particle size distribution was synthesized in one step via a low-temperature thermal expansion strategy at a large scale. The physicochemical properties of the modified graphite oxide (M-GO) and M-LTRGO with changes in the particle size were characterized and discussed. After incorporation in low-density linear polyethylene (LLDPE) by melt blending, the composites have been characterized regarding their morphological, mechanical, and electrical properties to study the performance evolution of LLDPE/M-LTRGO with changing M-LTRGO size. The electrical properties of the LLDPE/M-LTRGO composites show the exact opposite trend with the M-LTRGO tablet, as the changing of the average M-LTRGO size. The opposite electrical phenomenon ascribes the small-size M-LTRGO resulting in a better dispersion in LLDPE matrix, which is determined by the mean surface-to-surface interparticle distance (IPD) from examination of scanning electron micrographs.