High energy conversion composites based on graphene material with excellent healing performances

Xiao, PS (Xiao, Peishuang) 1, 2Li, GH (Li, Guanghao) 1Ma, SP (Ma, Suping) 1Cai, ZH (Cai, Zhihao) 1Huang, L (Huang, Lu) 1Huang, Y (Huang, Yi) 1

JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, 2021, Article Number e51690

DOI 10.1002/app.51690

Abstract

Energy conversion efficiency is an important characteristic of photothermal self-healing materials. Herein, reduced graphene oxide-thermoplastic polyurethane composites (RGO-TPU) were fabricated via a simple and practical method. The RGO-TPU composites have a high tensile strength of similar to 37.4 MPa, and exhibit excellent self-healing performances under the IR light irradiation, the healing efficiency >99%, the healing time <160 s (IR light power density of 0.2 W/cm(2)). It is worth mentioning that the photothermal conversion efficiency of the composites was investigated detailedly for the first time with a maximum efficiency of similar to 32%. Also, theoretical modeling was performed, and the results were in accordance with the experimental results for the influence of the weight fractions of the RGO on their healing performance. That excellent photothermal conversion efficiency indicates that the RGO-TPU self-healing composites have promising potential applications in surface protective coatings, medical protective equipment, building materials, military, and so forth.