Mechanical properties of graphite oxides:: Ab initio simulations and continuum theory -: art. no. 212103

The mechanical properties of oxidized graphitic layers are calculated by atomic ab initio simulations and continuum theory of elasticity. The adsorption of atomic oxygen atoms induces a nanocorrugation as well as a local bonding reinforcement that modify the bending coefficient of a graphite layer. As a matter of fact, a surface oxygen composition of 12.5% leads to an increase of the rigidity coefficient by more than a factor of 40. We thus demonstrate that oxidation also has a considerable impact on the mechanical properties of graphite structures.