Low-Temperature Heat Capacity and Phonon Dynamics in Expanded Graphite and EG--MWCNTs Composites

TL;DR

This study investigates the low-temperature heat capacity and phonon behavior in expanded graphite and its composites with multiwalled carbon nanotubes, revealing how structural disorder and nanotube integration affect phonon dynamics.

Contribution

It provides new insights into phonon dispersion and heat capacity in EG and EG-MWCNT composites, highlighting the effects of defects and structural variations.

Findings

Enhanced heat capacity in EG due to defects

Quadratic phonon dispersion confirmed by model fitting

MWCNTs influence phonon dynamics and heat capacity

Abstract

The specific heat of expanded graphite (EG) and EG--multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites (1.0 and 3.0 wt.\% MWCNTs) was measured between 2 and 300~K. The low-temperature heat capacity is dominated by out-of-plane flexural phonons with quadratic dispersion, characteristic of two-dimensional layered systems. Compared with crystalline graphite, EG exhibits enhanced heat capacity due to increased defect density and reduced interlayer coupling. Structural characterization (XRD, Raman, EDS) confirmed variations in stacking order and defect concentration. The data were fitted using a three-term model ($C_{1}T + C_{3}T^{3} + C_{5}T^{5}$), where the negative $C_{5}$ term indicates quadratic phonon dispersion. The results demonstrate the influence of MWCNT integration and structural disorder on phonon dynamics and anisotropic heat capacity in EG-based composites.