Speaker
Description
In recent years, nanocomposites are gaining more and more attention from the industry. They found application in various fields, such as material manufacturing, engineering, transport, electronics, food and beverages, aerospace. However, the properties of the resulting nanocomposite are strongly dependent both on the type of nanoparticles added to the matrix and how they are dispersed in the matrix.
In this regard, it is well known that the level of dispersion of the nanoparticles in the polymer matrix is the parameter that, much more than others, can influence their enhancement capabilities. However, nanoparticle dispersion is widely recognised as a challenge in polymer nanocomposites fabrication. Moreover, quantifying dispersion at macroscopic level remains a difficult task.
Developing a quantitative measurement of dispersion is a challenge that involves systematically studying loading, particle size, agglomerates and interfacial interactions, where the microscopy remains as a gold standard but restricted to relatively small size samples. Therefore, it is essential to have low-cost non-destructive evaluations to control the quality of the products made, in order to guarantee compliance with their specifications.
In this work, a method for characterizing the dispersion of graphene-based nanocomposites focused on the use of pulsed thermography is presented, highlighting the advantages, challenges, and research future directions.
