Interfacial Stress Transfer in a Graphene Monolayer Nanocomposite

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that stress transfer occurs from polymer matrices to graphene monolayers, validating the use of continuum mechanics at the atomic scale and providing insights into interfacial behavior in graphene nanocomposites.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of stress transfer in graphene monolayer nanocomposites and models this behavior using shear-lag theory, bridging atomic-scale phenomena with continuum mechanics.

Findings

Stress transfer from polymer to graphene confirmed

Shear-lag model successfully describes stress transfer

Interfacial breakdown monitored and analyzed

Abstract

Graphene is one of the stiffest known materials, with a Young's modulus of 1 TPa, making it an ideal candidate for use as a reinforcement in high-performance composites. However, being a one-atom thick crystalline material, graphene poses several fundamental questions: (1) can decades of research on carbon-based composites be applied to such an ultimately-thin crystalline material? (2) is continuum mechanics used traditionally with composites still valid at the atomic level? (3) how does the matrix interact with the graphene crystals and what kind of theoretical description is appropriate? We have demonstrated unambiguously that stress transfer takes place from the polymer matrix to monolayer graphene, showing that the graphene acts as a reinforcing phase. We have also modeled the behavior using shear-lag theory, showing that graphene monolayer nanocomposites can be analyzed using continuum mechanics. Additionally, we have been able to monitor stress transfer efficiency and breakdown of the graphene/polymer interface.