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Superflexibility of graphene oxide.

Philippe Poulin¹, Rouhollah Jalili², Wilfrid Neri¹

¹Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal - CNRS, University of Bordeaux, 33600 Pessac, France.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|September 21, 2016

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Graphene oxide (GO) is surprisingly superflexible, with a bending rigidity 100 times lower than neat graphene. This finding, measured using rheo-SAXS, enables flexible electronics and robust coatings.

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Nanotechnology
Physical Chemistry

Background:

Graphene oxide (GO) is a key precursor for graphene-based materials via solution processing.
GO exhibits a high Young's modulus (approx. 300 GPa), comparable to steel, suggesting significant stiffness.
Despite its stiffness, GO's mechanical properties, particularly its flexibility, require deeper investigation for advanced applications.

Purpose of the Study:

To quantitatively measure the bending rigidity of graphene oxide (GO).
To investigate the superflexible behavior of GO in solution.
To explore the implications of GO's unique mechanical properties for material applications.

Main Methods:

Utilized in situ rheology combined with small-angle X-ray scattering (rheo-SAXS) at a synchrotron source.

Keywords:

bending rigidity graphene oxide rheo-SAXS

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Characterized the flattening of thermal undulations in GO solutions under shear forces.

Employed synchrotron X-ray diffraction to analyze GO's structural response.

Main Results:

Determined the bending modulus of GO to be approximately 1 kT.
Demonstrated that GO's bending rigidity is about two orders of magnitude lower than that of neat graphene.
Observed superflexibility in GO, comparable to self-assembled liquid bilayers.

Conclusions:

Graphene oxide exhibits remarkable superflexibility, a property distinct from its high Young's modulus.
This superflexibility is attributed to specific mechanisms governing bending and stretching deformations in atomic monolayers.
The unique combination of stiffness and superflexibility in GO facilitates the development of bendable electronics, films, coatings, and fibers with enhanced processability and structural robustness.