Lateral size effect of graphene on mechanical properties of aluminum matrix nanolaminated composites

A lateral size effect of reinforcement on mechanical properties is investigated for aluminum matrix nanolaminated composites reinforced with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). rGO sheets with remarkably different lateral size are chosen to cover the critical value estimated by the shear lag model. Tensile tests with loading along the in-plane direction of the nanolaminated structure demonstrate that lateral size has significant influence on mechanical properties. A good balance between strength and ductility is realized by the largest lateral size of rGO. (C) 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.