Poly(urethane‐co‐vinyl imidazole)/graphene nanocomposites

Abstract Poly(urethane‐co‐vinyl imidazole) (PUVI)/graphene nanocomposites were facilely prepared by a kind of noncovalent way. Herein, the 1‐vinylimidazole acted as dispersion agent as well as monomer, graphene was uniformly dispersed in the copolymer matrix without obviously agglomeration. A significant enhancement of mechanical and thermal properties of the PUVI/graphene nanocomposites were obtained at low graphene loading; specifically, a 147% improvement of tensile strength, a nearly 10 times increase of elastic modulus and a 12°C enhancement of thermal decomposition temperature were achieved at a graphene loading of 1.5 wt%. Moreover, the volume resistivity of the PUVI/graphene nanocomposites decreased by an order of magnitude after adding 0.5 wt% graphene, demonstrating an obvious change in the electrical property of the nanocomposites prepared. POLYM. COMPOS. 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers