Engineering Graphene Mechanical Systems

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 12; no. 8; pp. 4212 - 4218
• Main Authors: Zalalutdinov, Maxim K, Robinson, Jeremy T, Junkermeier, Chad E, Culbertson, James C, Reinecke, Thomas L, Stine, Rory, Sheehan, Paul E, Houston, Brian H, Snow, Eric S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 08.08.2012
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bonding; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Density; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fullerenes and related materials; diamonds, graphite; Graphene; Materials science; Mechanical and acoustical properties of condensed matter; Mechanical properties; Mechanical properties of nanoscale materials; Mechanical systems; Micro- and nanoelectromechanical devices (mems/nems); Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructure; Physics; Recrystallization; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Specific materials; Strength; Stresses; functionalization; cross-linking; Graphene; nanomechanics; quality factor; resonator; Ultrathin films; Multilayer; Mechanical strength; Mechanical properties; Nanoelectromechanical device; Carbon; Thin films; Young modulus; Multilayers; Tensile stress; Blood platelets; Quality factor; Cross-linking; Recrystallization; Stress effects; Stiffness; Chemical properties; Nanostructured materials; Nanotechnology; Nanomechanical resonator
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl3018059

We report a method to introduce direct bonding between graphene platelets that enables the transformation of a multilayer chemically modified graphene (CMG) film from a “paper mache-like” structure into a stiff, high strength material. On the basis of chemical/defect manipulation and recrystallization, this technique allows wide-range engineering of mechanical properties (stiffness, strength, density, and built-in stress) in ultrathin CMG films. A dramatic increase in the Young’s modulus (up to 800 GPa) and enhanced strength (sustainable stress ≥1 GPa) due to cross-linking, in combination with high tensile stress, produced high-performance (quality factor of 31 000 at room temperature) radio frequency nanomechanical resonators. The ability to fine-tune intraplatelet mechanical properties through chemical modification and to locally activate direct carbon–carbon bonding within carbon-based nanomaterials will transform these systems into true “materials-by-design” for nanomechanics.