Theoretical Evaluation of Impact Characteristics of Wavy Graphene Sheets with Disclinations Formed by Origami and Kirigami

Abstract

Evaluation of impact characteristics of carbon nanomaterials is very important and helpful for their application in nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). Furthermore, disclination lattice defects can generate out-of-plane deformation to control the mechanical behavior of carbon nanomaterials. In this study, we design novel stable wavy graphene sheets (GSs) using a technique based on origami and kirigami to control the exchange of carbon atoms and generate appropriate disclinations. The impact characteristics of these GSs are evaluated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and the accuracy of the simulation results is verified via a theoretical analysis based on continuum mechanics. In the impact tests, the C60 fullerene is employed as an impactor, and the effects of the different shapes of wavy GSs with different disclinations, different impact sites on the curved surface, and different impact velocities are examined to investigate the impact characteristics of the wavy GSs. We find that the newly designed wavy GSs increasingly resist the kinetic energy (KE) of the impactor as the disclination density is increased, and the estimated KE propagation patterns are significantly different from those of the ideal GS. Based on their enhanced performance in the impact tests, the wavy GSs possess excellent impact behavior, which should facilitate their potential application as high-impact-resistant components in advanced NEMS.