Stabilization of Dispersions Containing Graphene Sheets, and Heat Transfer in Graphene-Oil Nanocomposites
This project is funded, in part, by the ACS Petroleum Research Fund.
Miss Deepty Konatham has obtained a number of interesting results within this research.
Rationale
Structured materials hold unrestricted promises in catalysis, materials and petroleum science. For example, thermally conductive but mechanically weak nanoparticles could be dispersed within polymers to yield composites that are thermally conductive (thanks to the nanoparticles) and mechanically strong (due to the polymer). To optimize the properties of the composites it is necessary to control the nanoparticles dispersion within the polymer.
We are here interested in composites in which graphene sheets are dispersed within organic oils. Our goal is to control the composite thermal transport properties by manipulating the assembly of the graphene sheets. We will then assess the effective interactions between graphene sheets in oils, and the resistance to heat transfer from a graphene sheet to the surrounding matrix (Kapitza resistance). The successful completion of the project will allow us to understand the relationship between molecular structure and macroscopic properties, which is crucial in all the disciplines that deal with complex systems, including petroleum science. As a tangible short-term outcome, our research will lead to the formulation of high-performance lubricants.
We recently discovered how to functionalize the graphene sheets to maintain stable dispersions in hydrocarbons.