High-performance graphene oxide/carbon nanotubes aerogel-polystyrene composites: Preparation and mechanical properties

Abstract High-performance graphene oxide/carbon nanotube aerogel-polystyrene (GOCA-PS) composites were successfully prepared. Three-dimensional (3D) GOCA was prepared by self-assembly and a freeze-drying method. The synthesized 3D aerogel has highly porous structure, low density, and good mechanical properties. Then PS was backfilled into the pores of the aerogel by in situ polymerization via vacuum assisted impregnation process to prepared GOCA-PS composites, which has extremely high microhardness (807.4 MPa) and compression modulus (1029.9 MPa) with only 0.41 wt% GO and 0.16 wt% carbon nanotubes.