Thermal stability and chemical analysis of hybrid materials reinforced with graphene oxide

Abstract

Thermal stability and chemical analysis were done on a hybrid material (HM) reinforced with graphene oxide (GO). The base of hybrid system was bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies measurements were performed. For the reinforced material (HM+GO), the features of its FTIR spectra indicated changes in the CH2 groups into the epoxy ring within the GO plane structure in comparison to the spectrum of HM. The Raman spectra suggest the formation of C-O-C bonds into the HM+GO structure. From TGA and DSC measurements, an increasing in thermal stability of HM and HM+GO with respect to that of DGEBA was found, being HM+GO more stable. It could be explained for the presence of GO. The addition of GO increases the transition temperature of hybrid material in 10 °C in relation to the non-reinforced hybrid materials.