Improving the mechanical properties, roughness, thermal stability, and contact angle of the acrylic polymer by graphene and carbon fiber doping for waterproof coatings

Abstract In this framework, a polymeric coating was enlarged by integrating graphene (GR) and chopped carbon fibers (CF) into the polymer mixture to be utilized for the waterproof coatings and exterior floor. The polymeric hybrid coatings were made by casting a combination of acrylic polymer, and GR, or GR-CF at room temperature. The polymer hybrids were composed of different ratios (0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 wt%) of GR or GR-5wt% CF. The morphology, thermal stability, roughness, and the contact angle of the prepared polymer hybrids were investigated. The roughness of the fabric surface was found to be greatly reduced as the weight ratio of GR or GR-5wt% CF increased. The greatest contact angle was determined to be 83.07° for samples containing 2% GR-5wt% CF, whereas the least roughness was recorded for 2% GR and equals 1.22 µm. The addition of CF to polymers hybrid increased the roughness and contact angle. Thermal stability was improved as the weight ratio of GR, and GR-5wt% CF was increased. The maximum value of the impact strength was observed for acrylic polymer containing 1% GR-5wt% CF. The hardness of Shore A was steadily increased with increasing GR or GR-5wt% CF in the hybrid’s polymer. The presence of GR or GR-CF in the formed hybrids polymers has resulted in an improvement in the mechanical properties, wettability, thermal stability, and hydrophobicity, and hence might be employed for waterproofing coatings.