The Effect of Ion Irradiation Induced Defects on Mechanical Properties of Graphene/Copper Layered Nanocomposites

One of the miraculous functions of graphene is to use its defects to alter the material properties of graphene composites and, thereby, expand the application of graphene in other fields. In this paper, various defects have been created in graphene by using ion irradiation. Defective graphene is sandwiched between two copper layers. A numerical model of Graphene/Copper layered composites after irradiation damage was established by the molecular dynamics method. The effects of ion irradiation and temperature coupling on defective graphene/copper composites were studied. The results show that there are a lot of empty defects in graphene after irradiation injury, which will produce more incomplete bonding. Although the bonds between carbon atoms can be weakened, defective graphene still enhances the mechanical properties of pure copper. At the same time, the location and arrangement of defects have a great influence on the mechanical stability of graphene/copper composites, and the arrangement of empty defects has different effects on deformation behavior and the stress transfer mechanism. It can be concluded that the defects formed by radiation have an effect on the physical properties of two-dimensional materials. Therefore, irradiation technology can be used to artificially control the formation of defects, and then make appropriate adjustments to their properties. This can not only optimize the radiation resistance and mechanical properties of nuclear materials, but also expand the application of graphene in electronic devices and other fields.