Microstructural characteristics of graphene/polycarbonate nanocomposite foams

Abstract

The microstructural characteristics of polycarbonate-graphene nanocomposite foams prepared using supercritical CO2 foaming are investigated using small and wide angle X-ray diffraction to understand the effect of graphene, cellular microstructure and polymer morphology on electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness. The observed microstructural changes suggest a preferential orientation of polycarbonate chains and graphene nanoplatelets induced by foaming, which could explain the enhancement observed in electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of up to five times when compared to the unfoamed material, therefore, opening up the possibility of using polycarbonate-graphene foams in electronic applications.