Recent advancements in mechanical properties of graphene-enhanced polymer nanocomposites: Progress, challenges, and pathways forward

The versatile properties of graphene-based polymers have captured substantial interest in recent years, making them a topic of significant research focus. This review paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the reported mechanical properties of graphene polymer nanocomposites, a highly promising class of materials for diverse industrial applications. Within this review, we emphasize the role of interactions between graphene and the polymer matrix in achieving uniform dispersion to prevent agglomeration and mitigate adverse effects on mechanical properties. Furthermore, we focus on functionalization as the main method of enhancing graphene physicochemical properties, highlighting its capacity to enhance homogeneous dispersion and significantly improve mechanical properties. These enhancements are contingent on factors such as the type and quantity of functionalization agents and the chosen technique. Additionally, we comprehensively examine recent experimental and theoretical research pertaining to the mechanical properties of graphene/polymer nanocomposites. Our analysis contains two primary polymer categories, namely thermoset and thermoplastic matrices, while also considering graphene loading type and volume fraction, as well as the influence of functionalization agents. This review uniquely addresses the existing gap in a comparative analysis between thermoset and thermoplastic matrices, offering insights into how different loading and functionalization methods influence mechanical properties. Moreover, we emphasize the need for further research in optimizing functionalization techniques and understanding the long-term stability of these composites, an area underexplored in current literature. This work stands out by highlighting future directions for refining synthesis techniques and expanding applications of graphene/polymer nanocomposites across industries such as aerospace, automotive, and electronics. Future endeavors may focus on addressing the challenges, refining synthesis techniques, and exploring novel applications, thereby contributing to the continued growth and evolution of graphene/polymer nanocomposites in the field of materials science.