1. Apparent Softening of Wet Graphene Membranes on a Microfluidic Platform
- Author
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Ive Silvestre, G. S. N. Eliel, Gustavo A. Ferrari, Thales F. D. Fernandes, Matheus J. S. Matos, Helio Chacham, Bernardo R. A. Neves, Rodrigo G. Lacerda, Alan B. de Oliveira, Ronaldo J. C. Batista, and Leonel M. Meireles
- Subjects
Materials science ,Graphene ,Microfluidics ,General Engineering ,General Physics and Astronomy ,02 engineering and technology ,010402 general chemistry ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,01 natural sciences ,0104 chemical sciences ,law.invention ,Scanning probe microscopy ,Molecular dynamics ,Membrane ,law ,Phenomenological model ,General Materials Science ,Composite material ,0210 nano-technology ,Softening ,Elastic modulus - Abstract
Graphene is regarded as the toughest two-dimensional material (highest in-plane elastic properties) and, as a consequence, it has been employed/proposed as an ultrathin membrane in a myriad of microfluidic devices. Yet, an experimental investigation of eventual variations on the apparent elastic properties of a suspended graphene membrane in contact with air or water is still missing. In this work, the mechanical response of suspended monolayer graphene membranes on a microfluidic platform is investigated via scanning probe microscopy experiments. A high elastic modulus is measured for the membrane when the platform is filled with air, as expected. However, a significant apparent softening of graphene is observed when water fills the microfluidic system. Through molecular dynamics simulations and a phenomenological model, we associate such softening to a water-induced uncrumpling process of the suspended graphene membrane. This result may bring substantial modifications on the design and operation of microfluidic devices which exploit pressure application on graphene membranes.
- Published
- 2018