Preparation and Evaluation of the Polyethylene Film Deposited With a Multilayer Graphene Membrane for Tensile Properties

Abstract

This study aims to improve the tensile properties of the polyethylene film deposited with a multilayer graphene membrane, in order to establish the understanding of the influence of the methane to hydrogen ratio on the tensile properties of the multilayer graphene membrane. Multilayer graphene membranes were prepared using the chemical vapor deposition method. Four types of multilayer graphene membranes were prepared with different ratios of methane to hydrogen before depositing a membrane on the polyethylene film. Experiments showed that the tensile strength of the polyethylene films with multilayer graphene deposition increased 7 times and the Young’s modulus 5 times more than that of pure polyethylene films, when the ratio of methane to hydrogen was set to 35/100 sccm. A compromise between hydrogen and methane mixture is required to achieve uniform growth of graphene. Insufficient hydrogen cannot activate the surface bound carbon that is necessary for continuous growth. Continuous and well-defined multilayer graphene was synthesized when the ratio of methane to hydrogen reached up a proper value.