We explore the structural and dynamic properties
of bulk materials composed of graphene nanosheets using
coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Remarkably, our
results show clear evidence that bulk graphene materials exhibit
a fluid-like behavior similar to linear polymer melts at elevated
temperatures and that these materials transform into a glassy-like
“foam” state at temperatures below the glass-transition temperature (Tg) of these materials. Distinct from an isolated graphene
sheet, which exhibits a relatively flat shape with fluctuations, we
find that graphene sheets in a melt state structurally adopt more
“crumpled” configurations and correspondingly smaller sizes, as
normally found for ordinary polymers in the melt. Upon
approaching the glass transition, these two-dimensional polymeric materials exhibit a dramatic slowing down of their dynamics that is likewise similar to ordinary linear polymer glassforming liquids. Bulk graphene materials in their glassy foam state have an exceptionally large free-volume and high
thermal stability due to their high Tg (? 1600 K) as compared to conventional polymer materials. Our findings show that
graphene melts have interesting lubricating and “plastic” flow properties at elevated temperatures, and suggest that
graphene foams are highly promising as high surface filtration materials and fire suppression additives for improving the
thermal conductivities and mechanical reinforcement of polymer materials.