Tube-rolling and formation of mechanically robust micro-tubes in graphene oxide aqueous dispersions during shear flow

Soft Matter. 2019 May 29;15(21):4238-4243. doi: 10.1039/c9sm00564a.

Abstract

We showed that GO domains at low pH are under a tube-rolling motion with a vorticity alignment at low shear rates. Mechanically robust micro-tubes were formed during tube-rolling. The micro-tubes were highly bendable and exhibited excellent elastic recovery. There was no restacking of GO sheets to graphitic structures for the GO micro-tube wall in a wet state.