Tearing Graphene Sheets From Adhesive Substrates Produces Tapered Nanoribbons
Abstract
Graphene is a truly two-dimensional atomic crystal with exceptional electronic and mechanical properties. Whereas conventional bulk and thin-film materials have been studied extensively, the key mechanical properties of graphene, such as tearing and cracking, remain unknown, partly due to its two-dimensional nature and ultimate single-atom-layer thickness, which result in the breakdown of conventional material models. By combining first-principles ReaxFF molecular dynamics and experimental studies, a bottom-up investigation of the tearing of graphene sheets from adhesive substrates is reported, including the observation of the formation of tapered graphene nanoribbons. Through a careful analysis of the underlying molecular rupture mechanisms, it is shown that the resulting nanoribbon geometry is controlled by both the graphene-substrate adhesion energy and by the number of torn graphene layers. By considering graphene as a model material for a broader class of two-dimensional atomic crystals, these results provide fundamental insights into the tearing and cracking mechanisms of highly confined nanomaterials.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1005.4354,
title = {Tearing Graphene Sheets From Adhesive Substrates Produces Tapered Nanoribbons},
author = {Dipanjan Sen and Kostya S. Novoselov and Pedro M. Reis and Markus J. Buehler},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1005.4354},
year = {2010}
}