Modification of chemically exfoliated graphene to produce efficient piezoresistive polystyrene–graphene composites

We report the chemical exfoliation of grapheneoxide from graphite and its subsequent reduction to graphene nanosheets (GN) to obtain highly conducting composites of graphene sheets in a polymer matrix. The effect of using graphite nanoparticles or flakes as precursors, and different drying methods, was investigated to obtain multilayer graphene sheets of atomically controlled thickness, which was essential to optimizing their dispersion in a polystyrene (PS) polymer matrix. In situ emulsion polymerization of the styrene monomer in the presence of GN was performed to obtain thin composite films with highly uniform dispersion and fewer graphene layers when GN were obtained from graphite flakes then freeze drying. The highest electrical conductivity of PS–GN composites was ~0.01 S/m for a graphene filling fraction of 2%. The piezoresistance of the PS–GN composites was evaluated and used in pressure sensor arrays with pressure field imaging capability.