Photomechanical Characteristics of Thermally Reduced Graphene Oxide – Polydimethylsiloxane Nanocomposites

Abstract

Materials, exhibiting light induced strain, are of great interest for future generation wireless remote control photo-actuators. Herein, we demonstrate the light triggered actuation in thermally reduced graphene oxide (TRGO)–Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanocomposite with much larger photomechanical stress and strain. The photomechanical stress for TRGO–PDMS nanocomposite is more than 100% that of carbon nano tube (CNT)–PDMS nanocomposites. Results show that 1 wt.% of TRGO–PDMS nanocomposite at 46% prestrain exhibits a photomechanical stress of 133.44 kPa and a strain of 7.17%, which is much greater than that reported for graphene–nanoplatelet-PDMS nanocomposite photoactuators.