Buckled circular monolayer graphene: a graphene nano-bowl

We investigate the stability of circular monolayer graphene subjected to a radial load using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. When monolayer graphene is radially stressed, after some small circular strain (similar to 0.4%) it buckles and bends into a new bowl-like shape. Young's modulus is calculated from the linear relation between stress and strain before the buckling threshold, which is in agreement with experimental results. The prediction of elasticity theory for the buckling threshold of a radially stressed plate is presented and its results are compared to the one of our atomistic simulation. The Jarzynski equality is used to estimate the difference between the free energy of the non-compressed states and the buckled states. From a calculation of the free energy we obtain the optimum radius for which the system feels the minimum boundary stress.