Preparation of hexene-functionalized graphitic nanoplatelets for effective interaction with Nylon 6

Hexene-functionalized graphitic nanoplatelets (He-f-GN) were easily prepared using a mechanochemical reaction between solid graphite and liquid 1-hexene. The He-f-GN exhibited outstanding properties (e.g., high specific surface area, high crystallinity and so on) and could be well distributed in various solvents including formic acid. The He-f-GN/Nylon 6_X nanocomposites were simply prepared using the solution method, and showed excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability compared with the neat Nylon 6. Specifically, the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the He-f-GN/Nylon 6_1 nanocomposites increased by approximately 32.5% and 33.7%, respectively, compared to the neat Nylon 6 due to the special properties of the He-f-GN and its excellent compatibility with Nylon 6 chains. The He-f-GN also acts as nucleation sites, increasing the crystallinity of Nylon 6, and generated hydrogen bonds with the amide groups of the Nylon 6. The new filler, He-f-GN, provides an effective way to increase the performance of polymer, demonstrating good application prospects.