Thermal stability and chemical analysis of hybrid materials reinforced with graphene oxide

Thermal stability and chemical analysis were done on a hybrid material (HM) reinforced with graphene oxide (GO). The base of hybrid system was bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies measurements were performed. For the reinforced material (HM+GO), the features of its FTIR spectra indicated changes in the CH₂ groups into the epoxy ring within the GO plane structure in comparison to the spectrum of HM. The Raman spectra suggest the formation of C-O-C bonds into the HM+GO structure. From TGA and DSC measurements, an increasing in thermal stability of HM and HM+GO with respect to that of DGEBA was found, being HM+GO more stable. It could be explained for the presence of GO. The addition of GO increases the transition temperature of hybrid material in 10 °C in relation to the non-reinforced hybrid materials.