Recent Advances in the Multifunctional Properties and Applications of Carbon Nanotube/Graphene Hybrid Polymer Nanocomposites

Abstract

Graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as highly regarded carbon fillers in the field of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), owing to their exceptional structural and functional characteristics. Achieving a high-quality nanofiller dispersion inside the polymer matrix is critical for developing top-performing PNCs. Combining CNTs and graphene with varied dimensions could prove to be the most favorable nanofillers in the preparation of high-performance nanocomposites, owing to their synergistic outcome through the development of an effective three-dimensional (3D) structure. The issues related to nanofillers and their functionalization techniques were first discussed. Then, commercially feasible fabrication methods of PNCs, including melt compounding, solution mixing, in situ polymerization, and layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly, were briefly summarized. This paper mainly reviews the effectiveness of hybrid CNT/graphene on mechanical, thermal, electrical, and EMI-shielding properties and applications of PNCs. The primary motivations for ternary nanocomposites are to (1) achieve greater performance improvement through synergistic effects, (2) attain multifunctionality, (3) improve scalability, and (4) lower manufacturing costs. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.