Graphene-Based Nanocomposites with Tailored Electrical, Electromagnetic, and Electromechanical Properties

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) are tiny stacks of graphene layers with thicknesses ranging from 1 to several nanometers and lateral size from hundreds of nanometers to several micrometers. Depending on the fabrication route, GNPs can be produced starting from different precursors, such as graphene oxide (GO) or graphite intercalation compounds (GICs): both routes are compatible with mass production. Polymeric nanocomposites are drawing ever-growing attention thanks to their light weight and the possibility to dramatically increase the matrix properties using very low filler loadings. The main challenge in the practical application of GNP and GNP-based nanocomposites consists of tailoring their functional properties through the control of the synthesis process, using a suitable modeling tool that allows correlating the micro/nanostructure of the material to its functional. The presented model is validated by comparison with experimental data, and represents a useful tool for the design by simulation of RAMs.