Tailored expanded graphite based PVDF porous composites for potential electrostatic dissipation applications

In this study, a facile phase inversion method was used to design an expanded graphite (EG)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) porous composite, simultaneously achieving good flexibility, mechanical strength, and satisfying electrostatic dissipation (EDS) material criteria (105–1011 Ω). The composite materials exhibit a dramatic improvement in the electrical conductivity, the electrical surface and volume resistivity of composite reducing by about six orders of magnitude from 1.78 × 1012 Ω and 4.31 × 1012 Ωcm to 4.79 × 106 Ω and 5.55 × 106 Ωcm, respectively, with the concentration of EG increment from 0 wt% to 5 wt%. Mechanical measurement shows that the Young’s modulus of 2 wt% EG doped composites increases by 13 MPa compared to the 0 wt% EG. The thermogravimetric analysis demonstrates that the Tmax (maximum degradation rate) of 5 wt% EG composites enhanced by 16 °C, compared to pure PVDF. At the same time, the prepared composites have improved thermal conductivity and hydrophilicity, which endow certain advantages for its possible application in the field of EDS in the future.