A Continuum Model for Circular Graphene Membranes Under Uniform Lateral Pressure

Despite the numerous applications of pressurized graphene membranes in new technologies, there is still a lack of accurate mechanical models. In this work we develop a continuum model for circular graphene membranes subjected to uniform lateral pressure. We adopt a semi-inverse method by defining a simplified kinematics of deformation and we describe the material behavior with a stored energy function that takes into account both nonlinearity and anisotropy of graphene. An expression of the applied pressure as a function of the deflection of the membrane is obtained from an approximate solution of the equilibrium. The simplifying hypotheses of the analytical model are verified by a finite element (FE) analysis in nonlinear elasticity. In addition, a numerical solution of the differential equilibrium equations of the exact theory is presented. The pressure-deflection response from FE and numerical solutions agree well with the prediction of the analytical formula, demonstrating its accuracy. The analytical solution is then employed for the response of a two-layered composite membrane made of graphene deposited onto a soft substrate. This application is of great interest since new nanotechnologies make use of layered nanocomposites. Differently from our entirely nonlinear approach, most continuum models in the literature are based on the assumption of linear elastic material, which is suitable only when deformations are small. The present work gives a comprehensive description of the mechanics of pressurized graphene membranes.