Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment
School of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering
School of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering
Thesis Abstract
Graphite-based nano-composites are one of the most famous nano-materials globally. Due to its electric conductivity and thermal conductivity in low temperatures, graphite or its allotrope is expected to combine with other materials, such as epoxy and rubber, to enhance their functional or mechanical properties. The micro-structure of graphite is layered and so can be suspended in several solvents. At the same time, such a structure can be readily expanded through thermal treatment. Therefore, some specific functional group can possibly be used as a filler to improve or change some properties of graphite to improve its ability to combine with other particular materials. As a result, new materials with distinct properties could be produced and used in our daily lives.
Several properties of graphite could be used to change or increase other materials’ properties. My current research focuses on graphite-epoxy nano-composites. Epoxy is useful for modern industry because of its mechanical properties. However, epoxy has high electric resistance. My research aims to use graphite as a filler to improve epoxy’s electric conductivity in order to gain a new kind of material with suitable mechanical properties and electric conductivity.
