Enhanced mechanical properties of a multiwall carbon nanotube attached pre-stitched graphene oxide filled linear low density polyethylene composite

A synergetic effect of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) attached pre-stitched graphene oxide (GO) on the mechanical properties of its linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) composite was demonstrated. The reduction, functionalization and stitching of GO occurred simultaneously with the amine (-NH₂) functionalities of ethylenediamine through nucleophilic addition and condensation reaction. The structural features of MWCNT attached pre-stitched GO with ethylenediamine (EtGO) (EtGO-MWCNT) hybrids were confirmed by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy. The EtGO-MWCNT hybrid filled LLDPE composite was prepared by solution mixing. The tensile strength of the EtGO-MWCNT/LLDPE composite with 1 wt% loading was enhanced by 148.7% compared to that of the neat LLDPE, which is much higher than those of O-MWCNTs, GO and EtGO filled composites. The enhanced properties of the EtGO-MWCNT/LLDPE composites were attributed to the homogeneous dispersion and the enhanced interfacial interaction with the matrix due to the multi-dimensional structure of EtGO-MWCNT. The EtGO-MWCNT/LLDPE composite also showed better dimensional stability than those of O-MWCNTs, GO, and EtGO filled composites.