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Updated: May 22, 2026
Fabrication of Three-Dimensional Graphene-Based Polyhedrons via Origami-Like Self-Folding
Published on: September 23, 2018
Lightweight, Strong, and Resilient 3D Graphene Metamaterial via a Multi-flow Assembly
Gangfeng Cai1, Ziqiu Wang1, Wenhao Tong2
1MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, International Research Centre for X Polymers, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials and Technologies, Research Center for Advanced Fibers, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P. R. China.
Researchers developed a lightweight graphene metamaterial using multi-flow assembly. This novel material combines the strength of hard carbons with the elasticity of soft carbons, overcoming typical material trade-offs.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Mechanical Engineering
Background:
- Synthetic materials often present trade-offs between strength, stiffness, and elastic deformation.
- Hard and soft carbon materials, despite identical elemental composition, exhibit distinct mechanical properties due to structural differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a lightweight graphene metamaterial that integrates the robustness of hard carbons and the elastic deformability of soft carbons.
- To demonstrate a facile fabrication method for advanced metamaterials with tunable properties.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a graphene metamaterial using a multi-flow assembly technique.
- Design of a cuttlebone-inspired lamella-wall architecture for the graphene metamaterial.
Main Results:
- The fabricated graphene metamaterial exhibits both high strength/stiffness and significant elastic deformability (up to 90%).
- The lamella-wall architecture effectively mimics the strengthening mechanisms of hard carbons while retaining superelasticity.
- The multi-flow assembly method allows for direct manipulation of graphene sheet texture, enabling versatile metamaterial fabrication.
Conclusions:
- A novel lightweight graphene metamaterial successfully integrates desirable mechanical properties from both hard and soft carbon categories.
- The developed multi-flow assembly method offers a facile route for producing advanced metamaterials with tailored architectures and macroscopic applications.
