Superior electrical, mechanical and electromagnetic interference shielding properties of polycarbonate/ethylene-methyl acrylate-in situ reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites

Fabrication of the polymer/graphene nanocomposites with high electro-mechanical properties is very challenging approach these days against the electromagnetic pollution. This paper mainly focused on the preparation of in situ reduced graphene oxide (IrGO) during melt blending of polycarbonate/ethylene-methyl acrylate [PC/EMA (95/5 wt/wt)] blend and graphene oxide to achieve enhanced electro-mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. It involves the reduction mechanism of graphene oxide with in the polymer matrix. The nanocomposites showed a significant improvement in mechanical stiffness owing to efficient stress transfer from matrix to filler. PC/EMA–IrGO nanocomposites with 15 phr loading of GO showed highest electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (− 30 dB) over the frequency range of X-band (8.2–12.4 GHz). This promising strategy of developing single-step PC/EMA–IrGO nanocomposites with enhanced electro-mechanical properties can also be used in large-scale technical and commercial applications.