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Recent clinical outbreaks of infectious diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, along with the emergence of unwanted microorganisms in industrial settings, have significantly reduced efficiency. Graphene has recently attracted significant attention as a potential antimicrobial agent because of its low toxicity, ease of production and functionalization, and high solubility in water. The presence of oxygen functional groups allows the interaction of the compound with bacteria and other biomolecules, making it an interesting candidate for antimicrobial therapy. Moreover, integrating graphene into copper coatings has been shown to enhance their antimicrobial properties. However, the implementation of copper–graphene composite coatings is currently limited by the difficulty of uniformly distributing graphene within the copper matrix. Copper (Cu)-doped graphitic nanoplatelets (CuGnPs), one option to overcome this challenge, are made via a mechanochemical reaction between solid graphite and Cu powder. The configuration of C–Cu bonds within CuGnPs can be identified using a range of analytical techniques, including transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. To evaluate the antibacterial activity of the Cu-GnPs, we employed Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus. Various amounts (250, 500, 750, and 1000 μg/mL) of prepared CuGnP samples were incubated in a bacterial suspension for 3 or 6 h at 150 rpm and 37 °C for a colony-forming unit assay. Three hours and six hours of treatment of the bacteria with CuGnPs led to a significant difference in bacterial survival compared with that of the control. It was observed that CuGnPs, with copper bound to graphene oxide, more effectively inhibited the proliferation of E. coli compared with nanoplatelets containing graphene oxide alone. These findings suggest that the unique properties of CuGnPs, such as C–Cu bonds, high surface area, and the coexistence of micropores and mesopores, are valuable for exerting strong antimicrobial effects making CuGnPs effective at preventing bacterial colonization on industrial surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyano-functionalized graphitic nanoplatelets (CyGNs) are synthesized by means of a mechanochemical reaction between graphite and acrylonitrile. The resulting CyGNs exhibit excellent mechanical properties and are highly dispersible in various solvents (i.e., THF). Due to their chemical compatibility (specifically, cyano functional groups), the CyGNs serve effectively as a reinforcing filler for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin. Consequently, compared to pure ABS, CyGN&ABS-X demonstrates improved mechanical properties and better thermal stability. Notably, the CyGN&ABS-1 specimen exhibits significant enhancements in the tensile strength (26 ± 1 MPa), Young's modulus (992 ± 71 MPa), and tensile toughness (22 ± 3 MPa), representing increases of approximately 130.6%, 19.2%, and 59.6%, respectively, over pure ABS. This underscores the ability of a mechanochemical reaction to directly modify the functional groups of graphitic nanoplatelets (GnPs) as fillers, facilitating their strong compatibility with a variety of polymers, including copolymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heptene‐graphitic nanoplatelets (HtGNP) serve as a filler for high density polyethylene (HDPE), generated through a mechanochemical reaction involving graphite and 1‐heptene. Various analyses indicate the efficient exfoliation of graphite into HtGNP, characterized by exceptional traits. Consequently, HtGNP & HDPE_5 nanocomposites, produced via the solution process, exhibit significantly increased tensile strength and Young's modulus, boasting corresponding increases of 27.7% and 13.7% compared to pure HDPE. Thus, owing to their outstanding performance, HtGNP emerges as a promising option in the form of a novel reinforcing additive for various hydrocarbon polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexene‐doping graphitic nanoplatelets (HxGNs), as a new filler, have extraordinary properties (e.g., hexene‐functionalization, wedge‐shaped pore, high specific surface areas, and so on), and interfacial interactions with hydrophobic polymers. Thus, the HxGNs sufficiently increase the mechanical properties of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). HxGN@PVC_X nanocomposites can be prepared easily with a solution casting method because the HxGNs are well dispersed in tetrahydrofuran. The tensile strength, Young's modulus, toughness, and strain‐to‐failure of HxGN@PVC_5 nanocomposites increase by approximately 33.1%, 27.3%, 58.6%, and 40.5%, respectively, compared with pure PVC. Especially, the low toughness of PVC, which hinders practical applications, has been greatly improved. The improved performance is from the outstanding properties of the HxGNs and the excellent interfacial interactions between the HxGNs and PVC chain. As a result, HxGNs as a filler act as a reinforcing agent and plasticizer for the PVC matrix. Highlights: The performance of the HxGN@PVC_5 nanocomposites is increased.The HxGN into PVC matrix is effective to overcome the disadvantages of PVC.A mechanochemical reaction can make graphitic nanoplatelets with specific groups.Graphitic nanoplatelets with specific groups can be used as new filler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexene-functionalized graphitic nanoplatelets (He- f -GN) were easily prepared using a mechanochemical reaction between solid graphite and liquid 1-hexene. The He- f -GN exhibited outstanding properties (e.g., high specific surface area, high crystallinity and so on) and could be well distributed in various solvents including formic acid. The He- f -GN/Nylon 6_X nanocomposites were simply prepared using the solution method, and showed excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability compared with the neat Nylon 6. Specifically, the tensile strength and Young's modulus of the He- f -GN/Nylon 6_1 nanocomposites increased by approximately 32.5% and 33.7%, respectively, compared to the neat Nylon 6 due to the special properties of the He- f -GN and its excellent compatibility with Nylon 6 chains. The He- f -GN also acts as nucleation sites, increasing the crystallinity of Nylon 6, and generated hydrogen bonds with the amide groups of the Nylon 6. The new filler, He- f -GN, provides an effective way to increase the performance of polymer, demonstrating good application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]