Influence of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane- graphite oxide composite on thermal stability and mechanical property of polyethersulfone

Graphite oxide (GO) was modified using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) for the fabrication of sheet type APTES–GO composite. Then, this composite was incorporated into the polyethersulfone (PES) matrix to enhance the thermal and mechanical properties of this polymer. The influence of APTES–GO composite on the thermal stability and mechanical property of PES was evaluated. The surface modification of GO by interacting with APTES could be an effective method to improve the compatibility and dispersion of GO sheets within the PES matrix. In comparison with those of virgin PES and GO/PES composites, the thermal decomposition temperature of PES composites containing well-dispersed APTES–GO sheets increased by 18.7°C. The tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, and flexural modulus of PES composite reinforced with 1.0 wt% APTES–GO sheets were enhanced by 21.1%, 15.2%, 15.4%, and 12.8%, respectively. The enhancement in thermal stability and mechanical property of APTES–GO/PES composite can be attributed to the uniform dispersion of APTES–GO sheets in the PES matrix as well as the strong interfacial interaction between them.