title: Nanomechanics of individual aerographite tetrapods.
abstract: Carbon-based three-dimensional aerographite networks, built from interconnected hollow tubular tetrapods of multilayer graphene, are ultra-lightweight materials recently discovered and ideal for advanced multifunctional applications. In order to predict the bulk mechanical behaviour of networks it is very important to understand the mechanics of their individual building blocks. Here we characterize the mechanical response of single aerographite tetrapods via in situ scanning electron and atomic force microscopy measurements. To understand the acquired results, which show that the overall behaviour of the tetrapod is governed by the buckling of the central joint, a mechanical nonlinear model was developed, introducing the concept of the buckling hinge. Finite element method simulations elucidate the governing buckling phenomena. The results are then generalized for tetrapods of different size-scales and shapes. These basic findings will permit better understanding of the mechanical response of the related networks and the design of similar aerogels based on graphene and other two-dimensional materials.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Physics, University of Latvia, Raina bulvāris 19, LV-1586 Rīga, Latvia.
authors.forename: Raimonds
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meija
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bio-Inspired &Graphene Nanomechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, I-38123 Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4128-0953
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Signetti
authors.affiliation: Functional Nanomaterials, Institute for Materials Science, Kiel University, Kaiserstraße 2, D-24143 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Arnim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schuchardt
authors.affiliation: Functional Nanomaterials, Institute for Materials Science, Kiel University, Kaiserstraße 2, D-24143 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meurisch
authors.affiliation: Functional Nanomaterials, Institute for Materials Science, Kiel University, Kaiserstraße 2, D-24143 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smazna
authors.affiliation: Institute for Polymers and Composites, Hamburg University of Technology, Denickestraße 15, D-21073 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mecklenburg
authors.affiliation: Institute for Polymers and Composites, Hamburg University of Technology, Denickestraße 15, D-21073 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Physics, University of Latvia, Raina bulvāris 19, LV-1586 Rīga, Latvia.
authors.forename: Donats
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erts
authors.affiliation: Functional Nanomaterials, Institute for Materials Science, Kiel University, Kaiserstraße 2, D-24143 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lupan
authors.affiliation: Institute for Polymers and Composites, Hamburg University of Technology, Denickestraße 15, D-21073 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Bodo
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2734-1353
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fiedler
authors.affiliation: Functional Nanomaterials, Institute for Materials Science, Kiel University, Kaiserstraße 2, D-24143 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Yogendra Kumar
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8786-9379
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Functional Nanomaterials, Institute for Materials Science, Kiel University, Kaiserstraße 2, D-24143 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Adelung
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bio-Inspired &Graphene Nanomechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, I-38123 Trento, Italy.|School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.|Ket-Lab, Italian Space Agency, via del Politecnico snc, I-00133 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Pugno