Abstract
The influence of graphene nanoplates (GNPs) obtained by the ecofriendly exfoliation of natural graphite has been addressed on the mechanical and thermal insulating properties of rigid polyurethane foams (RPUFs). Few-layer GNPs with few defects were prepared in polymeric 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (pMDI) under ultrasonication to obtain a GNP/pMDI dispersion. GNP/pMDI dispersions with different GNP concentrations were used to prepare RPUF nanocomposites via in situ polymerization. An important finding is that the GNP/pMDI dispersion exhibits lyotropic liquid crystalline behavior. It was found that the unique orientation of GNPs above the concentration of 0.1 wt% in the dispersion affected the mechanical and thermal insulation properties of the RPUF nanocomposites. GNP/RPUF nanocomposites with GNP concentrations at 0.2 wt% or more showed better thermal insulating properties than neat RPUF. The lyotropic liquid crystalline ordering of GNPs provides stable nucleation for bubble formation during foaming and prevents bubble coalescence. This decreases the average cell size and increases the closed cell content, producing GNP/RPUF nanocomposites with low thermal conductivity. Furthermore, GNPs incorporated into RPUF act as a barrier to radiant heat transfer through the cells, which effectively reduces the thermal conductivity of the resulting nanocomposites. It is expected that the nanocomposite of RPUF investigated in this study can be applied practically to improve the performance of thermal insulation foams.