The influence of graphene oxide on nanoparticle emissions during drilling of graphene/epoxy carbon-fiber reinforced engineered nanomaterials.

Starost, Kristof; Njuguna, James

Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles are increasingly being used to tailor industrial composites. However, despite the advantages, GO has shown conceivable health risks and toxicity to humans and the environment if released. This study investigates the influence that GO concentrations have on nanoparticle emissions from epoxy-reinforced carbon fiber hybrid composites (EP/CF) during a lifecycle scenario, that is, a drilling process. The mechanical properties are investigated and an automated drilling methodology in which the background noise is eliminated is used for the nanoparticle emissions measurements. Real-time measurements are collected using a condensation particle counter (CPC), a scanning mobility particle sizer spectrometer (SMPS), a real-time fast mobility particle spectrometer (DMS50) and post-test analytical methods. The results observe that all three nanoparticle reinforced samples demonstrated a statistically significant difference of up to a 243% increase in mean peak particle number concentration in comparison to the EP/CF sample. The results offer a novel set of data comparing the nanoparticle release of GO with varying filler weight concentration and correlating it the mechanical influence of the fillers. The results show that the release characteristics and the influence in particle number concentration are primarily dependent on the matrix brittleness and not necessarily the filler weight concentration within the nanocomposite.

Citation

STAROST, K. and NJUGUNA, J. 2020. The influence of graphene oxide on nanoparticle emissions during drilling of graphene/epoxy carbon-fiber reinforced engineered nanomaterials. Atmosphere [online], 11(6), article number 573. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11060573

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 26, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jun 1, 2020
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Jun 3, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 3, 2020
• Journal: Atmosphere
• Electronic ISSN: 2073-4433
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 6
• Article Number: 573
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11060573
• Keywords: Nanoparticles; Nanomaterials; Graphene oxide; Carbon fiber; Composite materials; Release; Graphene; Oxide; Drilling; Epoxy; Nanocomposite
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/923413