Toughening of polymers by graphene

Graphene has been regarded as the next-generation carbon nanofiller for polymer nanocomposites. Owing to its superior physical properties, it produces a dramatic improvement in properties of polymers at very low filler loadings. In the past few years, toughening of polymers by graphene has been studied intensively. This article reviews the typical preparation methods of graphene and graphene/polymer nanocomposites. The authors summarize the enhancement effect, optimal filler loading and toughening mechanism for the polymer composites. Effects of some important factors including graphene content, thickness, sheet size, state and interfacial bonding with polymer chains have been addressed. Accordingly, the current challenges and future perspectives for the toughening of polymers by graphene are indicated.