Investigation of Structure and Properties of PET/PEN/Graphene Nanocomposites with Solar Cell Application Approach

This study is concerned with morphological behavior, Thermo-mechanical and physical properties of several systems based on PET/PEN blend, and their graphene-filled nanocomposites. The composites were prepared by using a melt-mixing method and nanocomposite morphology were analyzed by microscopy (SEM and TEM) techniques. Thermal and mechanical (DMA, TMA,VST and TGA) analyses were used to assess the effect of graphene and blending process on the glass transition temperature (Tg), coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CTE),VST(vicat softening temperature) and the degradation temperature (Tinitial). Blending processes yielded significant Tg increases in the samples. Blending has had very good effect in reducing the coefficient of linear expansion at temperatures above Tg which is considered highly important in thermal expansion investigations of polymers in preparation of a satisfactory substrate for flexible solar cells. The VST results showed the miscibility of the blends and increases in softening temperature of the nanocomposites in presence of graphene

Keywords:

PET- PEN-Graphene-Solar Cells