title: Contact probing of stretched membranes and adhesive interactions: graphene and other two-dimensional materials.
abstract: Contact probing is the preferable method for studying mechanical properties of thin two-dimensional (2D) materials. These studies are based on analysis of experimental force-displacement curves obtained by loading of a stretched membrane by a probe of an atomic force microscope or a nanoindenter. Both non-adhesive and adhesive contact interactions between such a probe and a 2D membrane are studied. As an example of the 2D materials, we consider a graphene crystal monolayer whose discrete structure is modelled as a 2D isotropic elastic membrane. Initially, for contact between a punch and the stretched circular membrane, we formulate and solve problems that are analogies to the Hertz-type and Boussinesq frictionless contact problems. A general statement for the slope of the force-displacement curve is formulated and proved. Then analogies to the JKR (Johnson, Kendall and Roberts) and the Boussinesq-Kendall contact problems in the presence of adhesive interactions are formulated. General nonlinear relations among the actual force, displacements and contact radius between a sticky membrane and an arbitrary axisymmetric indenter are derived. The dimensionless form of the equations for power-law shaped indenters has been analysed, and the explicit expressions are derived for the values of the pull-off force and corresponding critical contact radius.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering , Cardiff University , Cardiff CF24 0AA, UK.
authors.forename: Feodor M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7935-0956
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Borodich
authors.affiliation: Institute for Problems in Materials Science , National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine , 3 Krzhyzhanovsky Street, Kiev 03142, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Boris A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Galanov
keywords: Johnson; Kendall and Roberts theory; adhesion; graphene; membrane; nanoindentation; two-dimensional materials