Synthesis of Hierarchical Graphene Oxide-Polymer Nanocomposites

Biological materials often use hierarchical structures to enable materials to be multifunctional.  Structural biomaterials combine stiffness and toughness in ways that man-made materials cannot match, due to structural hierarchy that can span seven individual levels in the case of bone.  Synthetic composite materials typically include one length scale of reinforcement, a paradigm which has led to exceptional stiffness or strength, but not both at the same time.  Thus, methods are required to enable synthesis of hierarchical composites with combinations of organic and inorganic phases at multiple length scales, so that we can enable the fabrication of biomimetic composite materials.  Graphene oxide papers are simple hierarchical materials to fabricate, with structure on the nanometer, 100-nanometer, and micron length scales.  This presentation will focus on three new fabrication techniques that we have developed to enable control of the resulting structures at three different length scales.  Under appropriate conditions, these techniques allow for independent control over the different length scales, resulting in a new method for the fabrication of hierarchical polymer nanocomposites.