Effects of low-environmental impact graphene on paints: chemical and physical properties

Paints and varnishes industry is a well known sector of chemical industry and its importance is due to the need of surfaces colouring and protection (metals, wood, concrete) from many natural or artificial chemical or physical agents. This work is based on the formulation of new graphene-based paints and the analysis of their physical and chemical properties. Graphene is the bidimensional sp2 carbon nanomaterial with extraordinary properties as electron mobility, thermal conductivity, mechanical strength and large surface area [ (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) ]. Due to these properties, it’s used as additive in paints formulations to improve mechanical properties. Graphene-XT produces graphene by Liquid Phase Exfoliation (top-down approach) with a mechanical exfoliation in water environment, using only graphite and a non-toxic exfoliating agent/solvent, avoiding the common toxic solvents as 1-methyl-2pirrolidone (NMP) or cyclopentanone (CPO). Self-produced graphene was added to two types of paint to obtain products with different properties one from each other. In particular acrylic and teflon paints were used as bases with the addition of powder-graphene/graphene-ink. During this experimental thesis, three graphene-based paints were formulated: the first with the goal of improving hardness, adhesion, lubricant properties and mechanical resistance of the virgin teflon paint; the second was an adhesive and electrically acrylic conductive paint; the third was a formulation that increases some mechanical performances of a virgin acrylic paint. All the formulations were created and tested inside Graphene-XT laboratory, except for some test on the first formulation (third-part requested product).