The preparation of Ni/GO composite foils and the enhancement effects of GO in mechanical properties

Graphene oxide (GO) was prepared by an improved Hummers method, and nanocrystalline (NC) Ni and Ni/GO foils were prepared by pulsed electrodeposition. This paper mainly investigated the effects of GO in Ni/GO composites. The surface of the prepared GO has many oxygen-containing functional groups and a high aspect ratio. The addition of GO in Ni/GO foils not only effectively lowers the matrix grain size but also contributes to the growth of Ni toward the (111) direction. Furthermore GO covers the surface of the matrix grains and passes through the grain boundary. Compared to NC Ni, the mechanical properties, such as hardness, elastic modulus, elongation and fracture strength showed significant improvements for the Ni/GO composite foil. The use of GO can effectively inhibit the growth of matrix grain boundaries at high temperatures.