Electrospray painted article containing thermally exfoliated graphite oxide and method for their manufacture

1. A painted polymer part, comprising:

a conductive polymer composite, comprising:

at least one polymer and a modified graphite oxide material, comprising:

thermally exfoliated graphite oxide having a surface area of from about 300 m 2 /g to 2600 m 2 /g, and

wherein the polymer part has been electrospray painted.

2. The polymer part of claim 1 , wherein the thermally exfoliated graphite oxide has a bulk density of from about 40 kg/m 3 to 0.1 kg/m 3 .

3. The polymer part of claim 1 , wherein the thermally exfoliated graphite oxide has a C/O ratio of from about 60/40 to 95/5.

4. The polymer part of claim 3 , wherein the thermally exfoliated graphite oxide has a C/O ratio of from about 65/35 to 85/15.

5. The polymer part of claim 1 , wherein the at least one polymer comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and copolymers thereof, polyesters, nylons, polystyrenes, polycarbonates, polycaprolactones, polycaprolactams, fluorinated ethylenes, polyvinyl acetate and its copolymers, polyvinyl chloride, polymethylmethacrylate and acrylate copolymers, high impact polystyrene, styrenic sheet molding compounds, polycaprolactones, polycaprolactams, fluorinated ethylenes, styrene acrylonitriles, polyimides, epoxys, polyurethanes, poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/poly(butylene adipate)], poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/poly(butylene adipate)], poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/poly(butylene adipate)], poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/di(propylene glycol)/polycaprolactone, poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/polytetrahydrofuran, amine terminated polybutadienes, carboxyl terminated polybutadienes, polybutadiene, dicarboxy terminated butyl rubber, styrene/butadiene copolymers, polyisoprene, poly(styrene-co-butadiene), polydimethysiloxane, and natural latex rubber.

6. The polymer part of claim 5 , wherein the at least one polymer comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and copolymers thereof, polyesters, nylons, polystyrenes, polycarbonates, styrene/butadiene copolymers, and high impact polystyrene.

7. The polymer part of claim 1 , wherein the thermally exfoliated graphite oxide has a surface area of from about 300 m 2 /g to 1100 m 2 /g.

8. The polymer part of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composite comprises between 0.1 and 20 weight percent thermally exfoliated graphite oxide, based on the total weight of the composite.

9. The polymer part of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composite comprises between 0.1 to 5 weight percent thermally exfoliated graphite oxide, based on the total weight of the composite.

10. The polymer part of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composite comprises between 1.5 and 5 weight percent thermally exfoliated graphite oxide, based on the total weight of the composite.

11. The polymer part of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composite comprises between 0.5 to 2 weight percent thermally exfoliated graphite oxide, based on the total weight of the composite.

12. A process for painting a polymer part, comprising the step of electrospray painting a polymer comprising a conductive polymer composite, comprising at least one polymer and a modified graphite oxide material, comprising thermally exfoliated graphite oxide having a surface area of from about 300 m 2 /g to 2600 m 2 /g.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the thermally exfoliated graphite oxide has a bulk density of from about 40 kg/m 3 to 0.1 kg/m 3 .

14. The process of claim 12 , wherein the thermally exfoliated graphite oxide has a C/O ratio of from about 60/40 to 95/5.

15. The process of claim 12 , wherein the polymer part of claim 3 , wherein the thermally exfoliated graphite oxide has a C/O ratio of from about 65/35 to 85/15.

16. The process of claim 12 , wherein the at least one polymer comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and copolymers thereof, polyesters, nylons, polystyrenes, polycarbonates, polycaprolactones, polycaprolactams, fluorinated ethylenes, polyvinyl acetate and its copolymers, polyvinyl chloride, polymethylmethacrylate and acrylate copolymers, high impact polystyrene, styrenic sheet molding compounds, polycaprolactones, polycaprolactams, fluorinated ethylenes, styrene acrylonitriles, polyimides, epoxys, polyurethanes, poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/poly(butylene adipate)], poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/poly(butylene adipate)], poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/poly(butylene adipate)], poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/di(propylene glycol)/polycaprolactone, poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4- butanediol/polytetrahydrofuran, amine terminated polybutadienes, carboxyl terminated polybutadienes, polybutadiene, dicarboxy terminated butyl rubber, styrene/butadiene copolymers, polyisoprene, poly(styrene-co-butadiene), polydimethysiloxane, and natural latex rubber.

17. The process of claim 16 , wherein the at least one polymer comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and copolymers thereof, polyesters, nylons, polystyrenes, polycarbonates, styrene/butadiene copolymers, and high impact polystyrene.

18. The process of claim 12 , wherein the polymer composite comprises between 0.1 and 20 weight percent thermally exfoliated graphite oxide, based on the total weight of the composite.

19. The process of claim 12 , wherein the polymer composite comprises between 0.1 to 5 weight percent thermally exfoliated graphite oxide, based on the total weight of the composite.

20. The process of claim 12 , wherein the thermally exfoliated graphite oxide has a surface area of from about 300 m 2 /g to 1100 m 2 /g.