Quantifying the Effects of Geometric Parameters on the Elastic Properties of Multilayer Graphene Platelet Films

Abstract

Multilayer graphene platelet films (MGPFs) are widely studied for their exceptional mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. The elastic properties and deformation mechanisms of MGPFs are highly sensitive to their geometric parameters, including graphene platelet size, graphene area fraction, and layer count. Despite extensive experimental and theoretical efforts, systematically quantifying these effects remains a significant challenge, severely hindering the design of high-performance MGPFs. Here, realistic random 3D periodic representative volume element (RVE) models of MGPFs are constructed to perform simulations, quantify the effects of different geometric parameters on all their five independent elastic properties, and uncover the dominant deformation mechanisms. The results reveal that the dimensionless platelet size, graphene area fraction, and number of platelet layers significantly affect the elastic properties, with detailed quantifications provided for their relationships. The effects of defects on the elastic properties are also explored, offering insights into the dominant deformation mechanisms. Validation against experimental data confirms that the developed RVE models and dimensionless results apply to various multilayer laminate composites, including MGPFs, MXene, graphene oxide films, and nacre-like materials. The findings provide a robust framework and pave the way for optimizing the design of MGPFs and other laminate composites, enabling their potential in diverse applications.