The development of new mechanical actuators that convert external stimuli such as thermal, light, electrical, or chemical energy to mechanical energy depends on the development of new materials. Reversible mechanical actuators based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and hydrogel polymers have suggested applications in robotics, sensors, mechanical instruments, microscopy tips, switches, and memory chi...

A solid exfoliation method is developed for the synthesis of single- or few-layered (≤5 layers) graphene by ball milling of graphite with ammonia borane. Nearly quantitative yield in which ca. 25% is single-layered graphene can be obtained. We believe that this highly efficient method will offer a facile approach for the preparation of high quality and large quantity graphene.

Graphene is a distinct two-dimensional material that offers a wide range of opportunities for membrane applications because of ultimate thinness, flexibility, chemical stability, and mechanical strength. We demonstrate that few- and several-layered graphene and graphene oxide (GO) sheets can be engineered to exhibit the desired gas separation characteristics. Selective gas diffusion can be achi...

Ultrasonic polar scans are based on the recording of the reflected or transmitted amplitude of sound, impinging a fiber reinforced composite from every possible angle of incidence. The mechanical anisotropy of such materials makes the reflection coefficient direction dependent, whence an ultrasonic polar scan forms a fingerprint of the investigated material. Such scans have already proved to be...

   This paper explores the mechanical properties and fracture analysis of C2N-h2D single-layer sheets using classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Simulations are carried out based on the Tersoff potential energy function within Nose-Hoover thermostat algorithm at the constant room temperature in a canonical ensemble. The influences of boron (B) doping on the mechanical properties, ...

Graphene nanosheets were prepared using a modified Hummer's method, and Au-graphene nanocomposites were fabricated by in situ reduction of a gold salt. The as-produced graphene was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). In particular, the HR-TEM demonstrated...

In this paper, analysis of linear and nonlinear buckling of relatively thick orthotropic graphene sheets is carried out under mechanical load based on elasticity theories. With the help of  nonlocal elasticity theory, the principle of virtual work, first order shear theory and Von-Karman nonlinear strain, the dominant relationship in terms of obtained displacements has been obtained, and the me...

Graphene is two-dimensional nanomaterial consisting of a single layer of sp2 network of carbon atoms (Fig. 1a)1. While the thickness of a graphene sheet is on the order of a single atomic unit, its lateral dimension can approach up to tens of microns. Graphene and its derivatives such as graphene oxide (GO) (Fig. 1b), and reduced graphene oxide (r-GO, a.k.a. chemically modified graphene) (Fig. ...

Loose graphene sheets, one to a few atomic layers thick, are often observed on freshly cleaved HOPG surfaces. A straightforward technique using electrostatic attraction is demonstrated to transfer these graphene sheets to a selected substrate. Sheets from one to 22 layers thick have been transferred by this method. One sheet after initial deposition is measured by atomic force microscopy to be ...