Graduation Semester and Year
Spring 2025
Language
English
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
First Advisor
Dr. Michael Bozlar (Supervising Professor)
Second Advisor
Nancy Michael
Third Advisor
Guillaume Seon
Fourth Advisor
Kamal Awad
Fifth Advisor
Catherine H Kilmain( Graduate Advisor)
Abstract
Polymers have widespread usage in most industries, such as aerospace, automotive, telecommunications, and medicine, mainly because they have a positive lightweight nature and excellent mechanical properties. One significant advantage of polymeric materials is their ability to combine nano-fillers, greatly enhancing their mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. In the category of polymer matrices, polypropylene (PP) is notable for its low cost, ease of processing, and balanced mechanical properties. However, its relatively lower modulus and strength limit their applications in high-performance engineering. This research explores the addition of graphene into polypropylene to improve its mechanical properties and establish a conductive network for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. Graphene, a two-dimensional material with excellent electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties, is a promising nano-filler material for polymer composites. The incorporation of graphene in polypropylene is being pursued to achieve improved load-carrying capability and electrical conductivity. The polymer composites are synthesized in a twin-screw extruder so that graphene dispersion is uniform. Composites from the extruder are extruded into filaments and, subsequently, compressed-molded into planar samples for EMI shielding evaluation. Mechanical and electrical properties are analyzed by tensile testing, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and electrical conductivity tests.
The findings indicate that graphene-polypropylene (G-PP) nanocomposites have improved mechanical strength, thermal stability, and effective EMI shielding. These composite materials have excellent potential to be used in the aerospace and automotive industries, as well as for the protective casings of electronic equipment. The ability to control the electrical and mechanical characteristics of polypropylene by graphene addition presents an appealing opportunity to develop next-generation, high-performance, lightweight polymeric materials.
Keywords
Polypropylene, Graphene, Nanocomposites, Mechanical Properties, Electromagnetic Interference Shielding, Dynamic Mechanical Analysis.
Disciplines
Polymer and Organic Materials | Structures and Materials
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Mogilisetti, Ravi Venkata Surya Sai, "GRAPHENE-POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITE FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE SHIELDING" (2025). Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses. 1031.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/mechaerospace_theses/1031