Page 352 - Polymer-based Nanocomposites for Energy and Environmental Applications

Modification of polymer nanocomposites and significance of ionic liquid 319

11.5 Graphene based polymer nanocomposite

The identification of graphene with its fusion of strange physical properties and capac-
ity to be detached in different polymer matrices has produced the latest group of poly-
mer nanocomposites. Polymer nanocomposites filled graphene and its derivatives
have revealed massive prospective applications in the fields of green energy, defense
industries, aerospace, electronics, automobile, etc. owing to its extraordinary back up
in composites. To get complete benefit of its properties, the inclusion of specific
graphene sheets in polymer matrix to design highly developed multiefficient compos-
ites is the most capable route. This is due to polymer composites normally have
incomparable specific strength, specific modulus, and broad application in various
industries. Graphene-based nanocomposites compressed the weight of airplanes by
counterfeit conventional metals and composites, moreover, the effect of the weight
retaining outcome in a fall of a thousand tons of gasoline. Various factors, together
with the kind of graphene used and its basic properties, the diffusion status of graphene
in the polymer matrix and its interfacial relations, the quantity of wrinkle in graphene,
and its complex configuration in the matrix, can have an effect on the finishing prop-
erties and on applications of graphene/polymer nanocomposites [28]. The most impor-
tant factor of graphene is this, that, it is very much cheaper than carbon nanotubes, and
it can be simply derived from a graphite predecessor in huge amount.

11.5.1 Invention of graphene polymer nanocomposite
The graphene that is generally used for the invention of graphene-polymer
nanocomposites is the chemically compact graphene or thermally compact graphene
and together is derived from graphene oxide because of its little cost and high yield
of fabrication. These types of graphene are able to discrete in the polymer matrix by
use of method, for example, melt blending, in situ polymerization, or solution
mixing [29].

11.6 Supercapacitors

A supercapacitor is ultimate for energy storage that sustains regular charge and dis-
charge cycles at high current and small interval. Rather than working as a single-
handed power storage tool, it works well as little retainment memory back up to link
small power interruption. It is also useful in making vital inroads in the electric power
train. It supplies electric energy all the way through faradic processes, double-layer
charging, or a combination of both. The total of energy reserved is generally small
and can be delivered instantly, constructing supercapacitor devices capable of supply-
ing pulse high power rather high quantity of energy. The main group of matter useful
for supercapacitor consists of a variety of conductive polymers, transition metal
oxides, and different forms of carbon. While the main features defining the act of
supercapacitors are the particular external section of electrode matter, the effects of