GRAFTING OF CHITOSAN/SODIUM ALGINATE ONTO GRARPHENE NANOSHEETS: STRUCTRURAL, THERMAL, MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES

Graphene nanosheets (GNS)-grafted Chitosan/Sodium alginate (80:20) composites are synthesized by self-assembly of both components in aqueous media. It is observed that GNS is well dispersed on a molecular scale in the chitosan/sodium alginate (CS/NaAlg) matrix and some molecular interactions occur between CS/NaAlg matrix and GNS. GNS-grafted CS/NaAlg nanocomposites were characterized by SEM, TGA and DSC. GNS were finely dispersed in a polymer matrix to improve the conductivity of the non-conducting CS/NaAlg polymer. The electrical conductivity of GNS- CS/NaAlg was in the order of 10-5S/cm, which is much higher than that of pure CS/NaAlg, due to an efficient electron transfer between GNS nano filler and CS/NaAlg matrix. The thermal and mechanical properties (DSC/TGA) of the pristine CS/NaAlg were also enhanced with increasing the content of GNS.