A new micromechanical approach for the preparation of graphene nanoplatelets deposited on polyethylene

An advantageous micromechanical technique to deposit large area graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) thin films on a low-density polyethylene substrate is proposed. This method is based on the application of shear-stress and friction forces to a graphite platelets/ethanol paste on the surface of a polymeric substrate; it allows us to obtain a continuous film of superimposed nanoplatelets mainly made of 13–30 graphene layers. X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements support the occurrence of a partial exfoliation of the graphite platelets due to shear-stress and friction forces applied during film formation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations point out that the surface of the polymer is uniformly coated by the overlap of GNPs, and TEM analysis reveals the tendency of the nanoplatelets to align parallel to the interface plane. It has been found that the deposited samples, under white light illumination, exhibit a negative photoconductivity and a linear photoresponse as a function of the applied voltage and the optical power density in the −120 ÷ 120 mV and 20.9 ÷ 286.2 mW cm−2 ranges, respectively.