Damping properties of expanded graphite filled fluorinated polyacrylate composites.

The damping properties of fluorinated polyacrylate (FPA) composites with expanded graphite (EG) partially substituted for mica as fillers have been studied. EG was prepared by a rapid expansion method by microwave (MW) irradiation. The effects of the EG and natural graphite (NG) as partial substitutions for mica and the blending of epoxy (EP) resin with the polyacrylate emulsion on the damping performance of the composites was investigated with dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The results showed that adding EG as a partial substitute for the mica improved the intensity of the loss peak of the DMA tanδ and broadened the corresponding high loss factor (tanδ > 0.3) temperature range of the PA/EP composites. In comparison with NG or the mica, EG was more efficient in improving the damping properties of the composites. When the weight content of EP was 4% and EG was 6%, tanδ reached the maximum value of 2.16, and the corresponding temperature range with tanδ > 0.3 was about 80 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]