Micromechanical Landscape of Three-Dimensional Disordered Graphene Networks

Disordered carbons can be considered under the modeling framework of disordered graphene networks (DGNs) due to the continuous three-dimensional connectivity and high graphitization. Correlating microstructures and mechanical behaviors of DGNs to their topology is pivotal to revealing more intrinsic features hidden by disorder. Herein, starting from basic deformations and topology, we investigate DGNs with various densities to explore their micromechanical landscape. Both the tension and shear of DGNs exhibit prolonged plastic platforms through local tearing of microstructures. However, compression displays special plastic damages of forming kinklike puckers and sp(3)-bonded carbon, resulting in a tension-compression asymmetry of DGNs. Out-of-plane topological defects contribute to the main negative-curvature topology in deformed DGNs. Moreover, there are novel scaling laws where both the Young's modulus and strength (logarithms) follow an inversely proportional scaling with respect to average angular defects. Ashby charts demonstrate that the mechanical properties of DGNs can reach the theoretical limit region, surpassing those of most conventional materials.

Automated summary

The mechanical behavior of disordered graphene networks (DGNs) was studied, revealing prolonged plastic platforms in tension and shear, and special plastic damages in compression, resulting in tension-compression asymmetry. Additionally, out-of-plane topological defects and average angular defects in deformed DGNs exhibit inverse proportional scaling relationship. Ashby charts demonstrate that the mechanical properties of DGNs can surpass those of most conventional materials, reaching theoretical limits.