Preparation and properties of graphene nanosheets/carbon foam composites

Graphene nanosheets(GNs)/carbon foam composites were prepared by direct pyrolysis of GNs/cyanate ester (CE) resin mixtures at ambient pressure. Pyrolysis behaviors of the GNs/CE resin mixtures were studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In addition, the effects of the additive amount of GNs on the microstructures, physical properties and compressive behaviors of the resulting GNs/carbon foam composites were investigated. Results show that the additive amount of GNs has great effect on the thermal stability of the CE resin as well as the structures and properties of the resulting composites. With the increasing of additive amount of GNs from 0 to 6 wt.%, the composite exhibits an increase in the bulk density and mechanical performance as well as structural uniformity. When the additive amount is 6 wt.%, its bulk density, compressive strength and modulus arrive at 0.38 g/cm3, 7.11 MPa and 115.9 MPa, respectively.