Electro-mechanical performance of shape-memory nanocomposites with graphene/CNF nanopaper

Abstract

The present work studies the synergistic effect of graphene and carbon nanofiber (CNF) in nanopaper on the electrical properties and electro-active recovery behavior of shape memory polymer (SMP) nanocomposite. The combination of graphene and CNF is used to improve the electrical and thermal conductivities of the SMP. Graphene is first employed to significantly improve the electrical conductivity along horizontal orientation, as well as CNFs were expected to bridge the gap among individual graphene and improve the through-thickness electrical performance of nanopaper. Furthermore, the conductive nanopaper is coated on the surface and improves the electrical properties of the SMP nanocomposite, resulting in the shape recovery can be achieved by electricity. Finally, the temperature distribution has been characterized to experimentally testify the effect of nanopaper on the SMP nanocomposite in the electro-responsive recovery process.