Effect of graphene nanoplatelet addition on the electrical conductivity of poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) biocomposites

Abstract Poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is one of the most promising biodegradable polymers used in many applications due to its biodegradability and non-toxicity. However, the usage of PHBV in electronic, biomedical, and biosensor applications has been limited due to its poor electrical properties. This study shows a simple method of producing and enhancing the electrical conductivity of PHBV-based biocomposites by adding graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) as a conductive filler. The biocomposite films were prepared using the solvent casting method, consist of five GNP loading (0-5 wt. %). The prepared PHBV/GNP biocomposites show enhanced electrical conductivity compared to neat PHBV. PHBV/GNP biocomposite with 5 wt. % filler loading exhibits the highest electrical conductivity at 3.83 × 10−3 S/cm. Higher crystalline regions in the PHBV/GNP biocomposites have facilitated the transfer of electrons between PHBV, resulting in the formation of conductive biocomposites, as evident from X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization.

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