Buckling Analysis of Single-Layer Graphene Sheets Using Molecular Mechanics

Abstract

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The paper presents a nonlinear buckling analysis of single-layer graphene sheets using a molecular mechanics model which accounts for binary, ternary, and quaternary interactions between the atoms. They are described using a geometrically exact setting and by the introduction of Morse and cosine potential functions, equipped with an appropriate set of parameters. We examine the critical and post-critical behaviors of graphene, under compression in the zigzag and in the armchair directions, and shear. Our findings show the suitability of standard thin-plates theory for the prediction of simple critical behaviors under various edge constraint conditions.

Keywords

• graphene
• molecular mechanics
• out-of-plane buckling
• DREIDING potential
• arc-length strategy