Polymer composites prepared by low-temperature post-irradiation polymerization of C2F4 in the presence of graphene-like material: synthesis and characterization

Abstract

Polymer polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)–microwave exfoliated graphene oxide (MEGO) composites containing up to 80 wt% PTFE were prepared by low-temperature post-irradiation polymerization of C₂F₄ in the presence of the graphene-like material. Composites were characterized by FTIR, NMR, XPS, SEM, TGA, XRD, broadband dielectric spectroscopy and DSC techniques. The melting point of PTFE in the composite (332.5 °C) was higher than that of pure PTFE by 8.8 °C. The measured values of the melting enthalpy (ΔH_m = 51.5 and 45.4 J g⁻¹) were used to calculate the extent of crystallinity in the PTFE and PTFE–MEGO composite (0.63 and 0.55, respectively). No CF₃ end groups typical of commercial PTFE have been detected in the PTFE–MEGO composites.