Production and Mechanical Characterization of Graphene Micro-Ribbons

Patterning of graphene into micro- and nano-ribbons allows for tunability in emerging fields such as flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices, and is gaining interest for the production of more efficient reinforcement for composite materials. In this work we fabricate micro-ribbons from graphene synthesized via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) by combining ultraviolet (UV) photolithography and dry etching oxygen plasma treatments. We used Raman spectral imaging to confirm the effectiveness of the patterning procedure, which is suitable for large-area patterning of graphene on wafer-scale, and confirms that the quality of graphene remains unaltered. The produced micro-ribbons were finally transferred and embedded into a polymeric matrix and the mechanical response was investigated by in-situ mechanical investigation combining Raman spectroscopy and tensile/compressive tests.