Facile transfer of monolayer graphene onto polyethylene via van der Waals interactions to prepare layered composite membranes

Layered composites of monolayer graphene and polymers have drawn significant research attention with extensive application scenarios. Transferring monolayer graphene onto polymer surfaces efficiently has been a fundamental issue in determining the performance of the composites. Despite considerable efforts in the past decade, how to optimally trade off between high-quality graphene transfer and operational convenience still remains challenging. Here we present a novel method allowing the direct transfer of wafer-sized monolayer graphene onto polyethylene membrane surfaces by harnessing van der Waals (vdW) interaction. Use of intermediate, glue, electricity, vacuum, heat, pressure or pre-treatment is not required. It allows preparing graphene/polymer composite membranes in a rapid and clean manner, which is also easy to be scaled up. By analyzing post-strain cracks of graphene, the graphene-polyethylene intrinsic interface shear strength was quantified as 9.52 MPa. Eventually, a kind of ultrathin graphene/polymer composite membrane was prepared with high transparency (>90%), low thickness (<200 nm), smooth surface (<17 nm roughness) high porosity and decimeter sizes. Furthermore, complex-surface transfer, simultaneous double-sided transfer, and facile patterning transfer were readily achieved, confirming the versatility of this transfer method. This newly developed vdW transfer method provides an insightful understanding of the graphene-polymer interfacial interaction and a facile approach to preparing monolayer graphene/polymeric composite membranes.