Improved thermal stability of phenolic resin by graphene-encapsulated nano-SiO 2 hybrids

Phenolic resin (PR) modified with hybrids of reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-encapsulated nano-SiO2 (SiO2–RGO) was prepared by a simple method. The synergistic effect of RGO and nano-SiO2 was achieved in the thermal decomposition of the modified PR. Thermal stability of SiO2–RGO and the modified PR was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TG). With 1 mass% loading of SiO2–RGO, the maximum decomposition temperature (Tdmax) of the modified PR was increased by 32.50 °C and the residual mass at 800 °C was increased by 6.54%. The structure of the resin char was characterized to study the mechanism of ameliorative thermal stability. SiO2–RGO hybrids were conducive to induce the PR to form graphitized carbon in the pyrolysis process. Thus, SiO2–RGO can facilitate the application of PR in the fields of heat insulation and ablation resistance.