Publications

Tunable young's modulus in carbon MEMS using graphene-based stiffeners

Washburn, C.M.; Lambert, Timothy N.; Blecke, Jill B.; Davis, D.; Finnegan, Patrick S.; Hance, Bradley G.; Wheeler, D.R.; Beechem, T.E.; Alam, T.M.; Brumbach, M.T.; Strong, J.M.

Carbon composite micro-electromechanical systems (C-MEMS) incorporating 2 wt.% graphene stiffeners show a 65% increase in Young's modulus and 11% increase in conductivity. An improved reduced graphene oxide (iRGO), is blended into pyrolytic carbon beams prepared for resonant frequency testing. Designed around a 10:1 (length: width) aspect ratio, the linearity of wt.% iRGO in the cantilevers as a function of resonant frequencies is evaluated. The collection of the 1st through 3rd bending modes using laser doppler velocimetery (LDV) of the graphene filled cantilevers shows an increase in frequency response with nanomaterial loading (wt.%). A model was developed using the 3-bending modes and correlated with cross sectional geometry and density to extract a Young's modulus. © 2012 The Electrochemical Society.