Strength of Graphene

In our 1-m hammock tied between two trees, you could place a weight of approximately 4 kg before it would break. It should thus be possible to make an almost invisible hammock out of graphene that could hold a cat without breaking. The hammock would weigh less than one mg, corresponding to the weight of one of the cat s whiskers. 

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The excellent mechanical properties of graphene are derived from the extremely strong o-bonds (670 kJ/mol) in the basal plane. In 2002, Bemhoic et al. had predicted that the intrinsic strength of graphene would be superior to any other material by quantum simulation. Lee et al. s experimental... 

Remarkable mechanical properties (Young s modulus and tensile strength) of graphene have attracted researchers to use graphene as filler in polymer nanocomposites for improving their stiffness and strength. Considerable improvement in the... 

The yield strengths of defect-free SWNTs may be higher than that measured for Bacon s scroll structures, and measurements on defect-free carbon nanotubes may allow the prediction of the yield strength of a single, defect-free graphene sheet. Also, the yield strengths of MWNTs are subject to the same limitations discussed above with respect to tube slippage. All the discussion here relates to ideal nanotubes real carbon nanotubes may contain faults of various types that will influence their properties and require experimental measurements of their mechanical constants. 

Lee C, Wei X, Kysar JW et al (2008) Measurement of the elastic properties and intrinsic strength of monolayer graphene. Science 321 385-388... 

The interaction between H2 and a Pd-decorated graphene sheet was studied using a first-principles density-functional theory method. Different H2-Pd systems and adsorption sites were considered, resulting in the most favorable coordination structure on the top site with a relaxed but not dissociated H-H bond. C-Pd bonds are formed during adsorption, while the strength of the Pd-H interaction increased. Pd-decorated graphene can act thus as an effective medium with respect to H2 abstraction. 

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