PAIR Distinguished Lecture: Prof. Robert Joseph YOUNG of The University of Manchester, UK, delivers “The Mechanics of Graphene and Graphene-Based Nanocomposites”
PAIR Distinguished Lecture Series
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Date
03 Jun 2026
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Organiser
PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research
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Time
10:30 - 12:00
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Venue
Wofoo Foundation Lecture Theatre (FJ303), 3/F, Chan Tai Ho Building, PolyU (Seats are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis) Map
Speaker
Prof. Robert Joseph YOUNG
Enquiry
PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research info.pair@polyu.edu.hk
Summary
Abstract
Since the first report of the isolation of graphene in Manchester in 2004 there has been a rapid upsurge in research activity upon the material that culminated in the award of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics to Novoselov and Geim. The presentation will be concerned with a review of the current state of understanding of the mechanical properties of graphene and graphene-based nanocomposites. The deformation and fracture behaviour of one-atom-thick mechanically exfoliated graphene has been studied in detail. Monolayer graphene flakes with different lengths, widths and shapes were successfully prepared by mechanical exfoliation and deposited onto poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) beams. Through in-situ Raman mapping at different strain levels, the distributions of strain over the graphene flakes were determined from the shift of the graphene Raman 2D band. The strength dropped to less than 10 GPa for large flakes, much lower than the reported value of 130 GPa, thought to be due to the presence of defects. The evolution and propagation of cracks in exfoliated monolayer graphene single crystals and their associated stress fields have also been mapped using Raman spectroscopy as a strain sensor. Such stress fields are found to extend over several microns, and their analysis leads to the fracture behavior of graphene being interpreted using linear elastic fracture mechanics. It is shown that propagation of a sharp crack along the zigzag direction occurs at a critical stress intensity factor Kc ~4.0 MPa m1/2, similar to the findings of theoretical simulations.
Photo Gallery
Unlocking Graphene the Wonder Material: Prof. Robert J. YOUNG Explores Mechanics and Toughening Mechanisms in Nanocomposites
Prof. Robert YOUNG, MAE, FREng, FRS
Fellow of The Royal Society, UK
Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering, UK
Emeritus Professor of Polymer Science and Technology
National Graphene Institute and Department of Materials
The University of Manchester, UK
Professor Young was educated at the University of Cambridge, UK and became Professor of Polymer Science and Technology in Manchester in 1986. He was the founding Head of the School of Materials in the newly formed University of Manchester in 2004, which is now the largest university materials department in the UK and the focus of major UK materials research initiatives. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society (2013), Royal Academy of Engineering (2006) and Academy of Europe (2015). His main research interest is the relationships between structure and properties in polymers and composites. He has introduced of a number of revolutionary techniques that have given a completely new insight into the micromechanics of deformation in fibres and composites. In particular, he has pioneered the use of Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of deformation processes that take place at the molecular level. Over recent years he has extended this approach to the mechanics of deformation of graphene and other 2D materials in nanocomposites. His Google Scholar H-index is now more than 100 and his contribution in research has been recognised through numerous invitations to give Plenary and Keynote lectures at International Conferences and through the awards of the Griffith Medal (2002), Holliday Prize (2011), Swinburne Medal and Prize (2012) and Platinum Medal (2019) from the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
Personal Website: https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/robert.young
