The issue of composite materials modified with graphene

The widespread use of composite materials in various industrial fields makes improving their mechanical and thermal properties a pressing issue. One solution to this problem is modifying the material with nanoscale particles. Nanoscale graphene is a promising composite modifier; however, research and review papers in Russian demonstrate an imbalance in favor of alternative nanomodifiers. This article presents an analysis of information sources devoted to studying the mechanical and thermal properties of graphene-modified composite materials. Particular attention is paid to the effect of modification on the properties of polyethylene and polymer composites. Various modification technologies are also considered, as achieving the greatest modification effect requires uniform dispersion of the modifier throughout the material. The results of the studies reviewed demonstrate that graphene is a promising modifier for increasing the thermal and electrical conductivity of composites, as well as their elastic modulus, tensile strength, and fatigue strength.
EDN: MMMUMZ, https://elibrary/mmmumz

References

[1] Nelyub V.A. Mnogofunktsionalnye polimernye kompozity na osnove metallizirovannykh uglerodnykh voloknistykh materialov. Diss. dok. tekh. nauk [Multifunctional polymer composites based on metallized carbon fiber materials. Kand. tech. sci. diss.]. Moscow, MIREA Publ., 2020. 310 p. (In Russ.).

[2] Nikolaeva E.A., Timofeev A.N., Mikhaylovskiy K.V. Methods for increasing the thermal conductivity of polymers and polymer composite materials. Informatsionno-tekhnologicheskiy vestnik, 2018, no. 1, pp. 156–168. (In Russ.).

[3] Galinovskiy A.L., Moiseev V.A., Provatorov A.S. et al. Development of ultrajet technology of receiving suspensions with carbon nanotubes. Uprochnyayushchie tekhnologii i pokrytiya [Strengthening Technologies and Coatings], 2016, no. 11, pp. 37?43. (In Russ.).

[4] Kondrashov S.V., Shashkeev K.A., Popkov O.V. et al. Mechanical properties of CNT nanocomposites (review). Trudy VIAM [Proceedings of VIAM], 2016, no. 5, doi: https://doi.org/10.18577/2307-6046-2016-0-5-8-8 (in Russ.).

[5] Aleksenko A.G. Grafen [Graphene]. Moscow, Laboratoriya znaniy Publ., 2025. 179 p. (In Russ.).

[6] Gudkov M.V., Stolyarova D.Yu., Shiyanova K.A. et al. Polymer composites with graphene and its derivatives as functional materials of the future. Vysokomolekulyarnye soedineniya. Ser. S, 2022, vol. 64, no. 1, pp. 45?68. (In Russ.).

[7] Bazhenov S.L., Berlin A.A., Kulkov A.A. et al. Polimernye kompozitsionnye materialy [Polymer composite materials]. Dolgoprudnyy, Intellekt Publ., 2010. 352 p. (In Russ.).

[8] Tashkinov M.A., Dobrydneva A.D., Matveenko V.P. et al. Modeling the effective conductive properties of polymer nanocomposites with a random arrangement of graphene oxide particles. Vestnik PNIPU. Mekhanika [PNRPU Mechanics Bulletin], 2021, no. 2, pp. 167?180, doi: https://doi.org/10.15593/perm.mech/2021.2.15 (in Russ.).

[9] Wang Y., Yang Y., Zhao S. et. al. Graphene origami reinforced polyethylene nanocomposite under ballistic impact. Comput. Mater. Sci., 2025, vol. 259, art. 114181, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.commatsci.2025.114181

[10] Rustamova E.G., Gubin S.P. Graphene-polyethylene high pressure composites and their properties. RENSIT, 2021, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 369–376. (In Russ.).

[11] Luz P.A.C., Siqueira D.D., Braga N.F. et. al. High-density polyethylene/graphene polymer nanocomposites used as geogrids. Polym. Compos., 2025, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.70305

[12] Liu C.Y., Ishigami A., Kurose T. et al. Wear resistance of graphene reinforced ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene nanocomposites prepared by octa-screw extrusion process. Compos. B. Eng., 2021, vol. 215, art. 108810, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2021.108810

[13] Xue Z., Brown K.R., Harell T.M. et. al. Graphene reinforced UHMWPE fibers. J. Polym. Res., 2025, vol. 32, no. 4, art. 99, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-025-04319-x

[14] Usman C., Mabrouk A., Abdala A. Enhanced thermal conductivity of polyethylene nanocomposites with graphene, granulated graphene, graphene nanoplatelet, and their hybrids. Int. J. Energy Res., 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/er.7147

[15] de Fim F.C., Basso N.R.S., Graebin A.P. et. al. Thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties of polyethylene–graphene nanocomposites obtained by in situ polymerization. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2012, vol. 128, no. 5, pp. 2630–2637, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/app.38317

[16] Song S., Li X., Shen C. et. al. Graphene-modified C/C composites for enhanced directional thermal conductivity. J. Mater. Res. Technol., 2025, vol. 36, pp. 4043–4052, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2025.04.089

[17] Khlaing Zo U., Yakovleva K.A., Kostromina N.V. properties of modified ED-20 epoxy resin. Uspekhi v khimii i khimicheskoy tekhnologii, 2020, vol. 34, no. 7, pp. 114?116. (In Russ.).

[18] Aradhana R., Mohanty S., Nayak S.K. Comparison of mechanical, electrical and thermal properties in graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide filled epoxy nanocomposite adhesives. Polymer, 2018, vol. 141, pp. 109–123, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2018.03.005

[19] Shelar M.L., Bhosale D.G., Bhatkar V.D. et al. Experimental investigations of the effect of graphene reinforcement on the mechanical properties of epoxy resin. Hybrid Advances, 2025, vol. 9, art. 100422, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hybadv.2025.100422

[20] Pathak A.K., Borah M., Gupta A. et. al. Improved mechanical properties of carbon fiber/graphene oxide-epoxy hybrid composites. Compos. Sci. Technol., 2016, vol. 135, pp. 28?38, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2016.09.007

[21] Srivastava A.K., Singh A. An unexpected hardening behaviour of carbon-fiber epoxy composites under flexural fatigue loading and its intensification by graphene nanofillers. Int. J. Fatigue, 2024, vol. 182, art. 108177, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2024.108177

[22] Srivastava A.K., Gupta V., Yerramalli C.S. et. al. Flexural strength enhancement in carbon-fiber epoxy composites through graphene nano-platelets coating on fibers. Compos. B Eng., 2019, vol. 179, art. 107539, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2019.107539

[23] Leow C., Kreider P.B., Sommacal S. et. al. Electrical and thermal conductivity in graphene-enhanced carbon-fibre/PEEK: the effect of interlayer loading. Carbon, 2023, vol. 215, art. 118463, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2023.118463

[24] Zhou S., Wei W., Li L. et. al. In situ growth of graphene on carbon fibers to enhance the mechanical and thermal conductivity of epoxy composites. Appl. Surf. Sci., 2025, vol 680, art. 161299, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2024.161299

[25] Ubaid J., Andrew J.J., Cantwell W.J. et. al. Performance evaluation of GNP-modified epoxy/carbon fiber composites after cryogenic thermal cycling for hydrogen storage applications. Int. J. Hydrog. Energy, 2025, vol. 159, art. 150574, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.150574

[26] Hassin M.S., Faruk M.O., Ali M.I. et. al. Evaluation of physical and mechanical properties of graphene oxide reinforced epoxy/Kevlar hybrid composites. Hybrid Advances, 2024, vol. 6, art. 100217, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hybadv.2024.100217

[27] Hussain S., Yorucu C., Ahmed I. et. al. Surface modification of aramid fibres by graphene oxide nano-sheets for multiscale polymer composites. Surf. Coat. Technol., 2014, vol. 258, pp. 458–466, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2014.08.054