Preparation and Properties of Ultra-Elastic Graphene Aerogel

Triethylenediamine (DETA) was used as a reducing agent and structural enhancer to prepare ultra-elastic graphene aerogel (GA) by means of hydrothermal reduction method. The realationship between the properties of GA and the mass concentrations of GO and DETA were studied. The microstructures and properties of GA were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), four-point probe, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), universal tensile testing machine and absorption measurement, respectively. The density and conductivity of GA vary with mass concentrations ratio of GO to DETA. The compressive strength increases with increasing mass concentrations ratio of GO to DETA. The maximum compressive strength is up to 6.8 MPa when the concentration of GO reaches 8 mg/mL and the mass concentration ratio of GO to DETA keeps at 1 000:7.5. Besides, GA can recover its shape completely after compression, showing good anti-fragile performance. As confirmed from the brightness of Light-Emitting Diode (LED) light, the larger compression strain was, the better conductivity would achieve. In addition, absorption behavior of GA towards seven organic solvents was studied. It is presented that GA could absorb these liquids at 41 to 83 times of its own mass requiring no further pretreatment, showing highly efficient absorption feature of organic solvents.