Thickness-dependent Crack Propagation in Uniaxially Strained Conducting Graphene Oxide Films on Flexible Substrates

We demonstrate that crack propagation in uniaxially strained reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films is substantially dependent on the film thickness, for films in the sub-micron regime. rGO film on flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate develop quasi-periodic cracks upon application of strain. The crack density and crack width follow contrasting trends as film thickness is increased and the results are described in terms of a sequential cracking model. Further, these cracks also have a tendency to relax when the strain is released. These features are also reflected in the strain-dependent electrical dc and ac conductivity studies. For an optimal thickness (3-coat), the films behave as strain-resistant, while for all other values it becomes strain-responsive, attributed to a favorable combination of crack density and width. This study of the film thickness dependent response and the crack propagation mechanism under strain is a significant step for rationalizing the application of layered graphene-like systems for flexible optoelectronic and strain sensing applications. When the thickness is tuned for enhanced extent of crack propagation, strain-sensors with gauge factor up to similar to 470 are realized with the same material. When thickness is chosen to suppress the crack propagation, strain-resistive flexible TiO2-rGO UV photoconductor is realized.