The overlooked role of reduced graphene oxide in the reinforcement of hydrophilic polymers

Abstract

The covalent incorporation of reduced graphene oxide into a hydrophilic polymer demonstrates that, contrary to current opinion, reinforcement can be attributed to a change in water affinity. Advanced nanoindentation techniques show that the deterioration of the mechanical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) under high relative humidity can be avoided by incorporating a small quantity of reduced graphene oxide at molecularly controlled locations.