Failure Mechanics of 2D Materials for Advanced Coatings and Composites

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Two dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as a new class of materials that are expected to make disruptive changes to critical applications ranging from aerospace structures to energy storage. In the last decade researchers have demonstrated the extraordinary electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of individual 2D nanostructures, most notably graphene, however the successful incorporation into largescale materials and devices remains elusive. In particular, 2D materials are know to exhibit extraordinarily high strength & stiffness as well as extraordinarily low friction making them highly desirable as coatings and reinforcements in composite materials. Despite this great promise, macroscopic materials behavior is limited by the ability to resist failure in the presence of critical defects and exposure to cyclic loading or interfacial sliding. While the last decade of nanomechanics research of 2D materials has focused on elucidating intrinsic mechanical properties (i.e. strength, modulus, friction), a next wave of intense research is needed to study their engineering relevant failure properties including fracture toughness, fatigue life, and wear behavior. The proposed RESEARCH PROGRAM aims to bridge the gap between the most promising 2D nanomaterials and their implementation in practical mechanical application (i.e. coatings & composite materials) by extending the fundamental understanding of their intrinsic mechanical behavior to include engineering relevant properties (i.e. fracture toughness, fatigue, wear) that enable prediction of materials failure in the presence of critical defects and cyclic loading/sliding. The program will employ a multiscale approach which combines state of the art experimental nanomechanical testing and atomistic modeling at the nanoscale with micro and macroscopic end use materials testing and continuum modeling. The program will be divided into three thrust areas; I) fracture toughness studies of functionalized and unfunctionalized 2D materials, II) fatigue cyclic failure and lifetime studies of 2D materials and III) tribology (friction & wear) studies of 2D materials in the wear regime. The research program will bridge critical gaps in the fundamental understanding of mechanical failure phenomena relevant to the integration of 2D materials within macroscopic coating and composite materials. The studies within the three thrust areas will provide a new body of knowledge in the area of failure mechanics of 2D materials. This will ultimately lead to unprecedented advancements in coating and composite materials performance which will benefit Canadian companies and organizations in space/aerospace, automotive, and energy storage sectors. It will directly support the training of highly qualified personnel within an interdisciplinary training environment which will leverage unique in situ nanomechanics research infrastructure and international collaboration.