Buckling treatment of piezoelectric functionally graded graphene platelets micro plates

Abstract

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) are widely employed in sensors, biomedical devices, optic sectors, and micro-accelerometers. New reinforcement materials such as carbon nanotubes as well as graphene platelets provide stiffer structures with controllable mechanical specifications by changing the graphene platelet features. This paper deals with buckling analyses of functionally graded graphene platelets micro plates with two piezoelectric layers subjected to external applied voltage. Governing equations are based on Kirchhoff plate theory assumptions beside the modified couple stress theory to incorporate the micro scale influences. A uniform temperature change and external electric field are regarded along the micro plate thickness. Moreover, an external in-plane mechanical load is uniformly distributed along the micro plate edges. The Hamilton's principle is employed to extract the governing equations. The material properties of each composite layer reinforced with graphene platelets of the considered micro plate are evaluated by the Halpin–Tsai micromechanical model. The governing equations are solved by the Navier's approach for the case of simply-supported boundary condition. The effects of the external applied voltage, the material length scale parameter, the thickness of the piezoelectric layers, the side, the length and the weight fraction of the graphene platelets as well as the graphene platelets distribution pattern on the critical buckling temperature change and on the critical buckling in-plane load are investigated. The outcomes illustrate the reduction of the thermal buckling strength independent of the graphene platelets distribution pattern while meanwhile the mechanical buckling strength is promoted. Furthermore, a negative voltage, -50 Volt, strengthens the micro plate stability against the thermal buckling occurrence about 9% while a positive voltage, 50 Volt, decreases the critical buckling load about 9% independent of the graphene platelet distribution pattern.