Prediction of structural and mechanical properties of atom-decorated porous graphene via density functional calculations

The considerable demand for novel materials with specific properties has motivated the researchers to synthesize supramolecular nanostructures through different methods. Porous graphene is the first two-dimensional hydrocarbon synthesized quite recently. This investigation is aimed at studying the mechanical properties of atom-decorated (functionalized) porous graphene by employing density functional theory (DFT) calculation within both local density approximations (LDA) and generalized gradient approximations (GGA). The atoms are selected from period 3 of periodic table as well as Li and O atom from period 2. The results reveal that metallic atoms and noble gases are adsorbed physically on porous graphene and nonmetallic ones form chemical bonds with carbon atom in porous graphene structure. Also, it is shown that, in general, atom decoration reduces the values of mechanical properties such as Young's, bulk and shear moduli as well as Poisson's ratio, and this reduction is more considerable in the case of nonmetallic atoms (chemical adsorption), especially oxygen atoms, as compared to metallic atoms and noble gases (physical adsorption).