Macroscopic Graphene Oxide Corrugated Structures

ABSTRACT Graphene oxide (GO) has attracted great attention in many fields because of its unique properties compared with traditional engineering materials. However, currently there are limited studies on constructing macroscopic 3D structures using this nanomaterial. In this study, we constructed various macroscopic 3D corrugated structures using GO, including triangular corrugation, sinusoidal corrugation, and corrugated boards. We also conducted numerical simulations to determine the stress and strain distribution during the fabrication process. The GO corrugated structures were manufactured starting from vacuum filtrated GO paper, by using corresponding molding tools to press flat GO paper into 3D corrugations. Before applying the pressure from the molds, the GO paper was wetted in water to improve ductility and then was dried in the air with the pressure of the molds to seal the 3D structure. After completely drying, the 3D GO corrugations can be easily peeled from the molds with smooth and compact surfaces and high geometrical precision. The mechanical tests under flexion showed that the GO corrugated structures had excellent mechanical stiffness and strength. The combination of tunable chemistry, light weight, and excellent mechanical properties of the 3D GO corrugated structures makes them suitable to be applied for multifunctional structures.