Cut processing of layered composites by water vapor annealing

1. A method for making a flexible material, comprising the steps of:

(a) subjecting a sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper that includes silk fibers and a graphene oxide material to an environment having a relative humidity above a predetermined threshold for a predetermined amount of time sufficient to induce water plasticization of the graphene oxide-composite paper to form water plasticized graphene oxide-composite paper; and

(b) after plasticization has occurred and while the graphene oxide-composite paper is water plasticized, then cutting at least one expansion cut in the sheet of water plasticized graphene oxide-composite paper.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphene oxide material includes a selected one of:

graphene oxide particles, graphene oxide sheets, and graphene oxide flakes.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of generating the graphene oxide-composite paper by performing the steps of:

(a) generating a slurry of fibers in a liquid;

(b) adding a predetermined amount of graphene oxide particles to the slurry;

(c) removing the liquid from the slurry so as to form the graphene oxide-composite paper.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the fibers comprise a fibrous bio-protein.

5. The method of claim 4 , fibrous bio-protein comprises silk.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a reducing agent to a region of the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper so as to increase electrical conductivity of the region of the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper; and

(b) removing the reducing agent from the region of the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper so as to expose a region of reduced graphene oxide.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the reducing agent comprises aluminum nanoparticles.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of applying a reducing agent includes the step of subjecting sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper to electron beam evaporation of the reducing agent.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of manipulating a portion of the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper into a kirigami structure.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting step comprises the steps of:

(a) programming a computer numerical controlled drag knife with a predetermined pattern of cuts;

(b) placing the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper on a platform of the computer numerical controlled drag knife; and

(c) activating the computer numerical controlled drag knife so as to cause it to cut the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper according to the predetermined pattern of cuts.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

(a) attaching a conductor to the region of reduced graphene oxide;

(b) encapsulating the flexible material with an envelope of an elastic triboelectric substance so that the conductor extends outside of the envelope, the triboelectric substance having a place on a triboelectric series that is different from a place on the triboelectric series of a contacting member.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the triboelectric substance comprises polydimethylsiloxane.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the place on the triboelectric series of the contacting member corresponds to a place on the triboelectric series for human skin.

14. A method for making a flexible conductive material, comprising the steps of:

(a) subjecting a sheet of a composite paper including graphene oxide particles and silk fibers to an environment having a relative humidity above a predetermined threshold for a predetermined amount of time sufficient to induce water plasticization of the graphene oxide-composite paper to form water plasticized graphene oxide-composite paper; and

(b) applying aluminum to a region of the sheet of composite paper so as to increase electrical conductivity of the region of the sheet of composite paper;

(c) removing the aluminum from the region of the sheet of composite paper so as to expose a region of reduced graphene oxide;

(d) cutting at least one expansion cut in the sheet of plasticized composite paper while the sheet of plasticized composite paper is water plasticized; and

(e) manipulating the sheet of composite paper into a kirigami structure.

15. A method for making a flexible material, comprising the steps of:

(a) subjecting a sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper that includes silk fibers and a graphene oxide material to an environment having a relative humidity above a predetermined threshold for a predetermined amount of time sufficient to induce water plasticization of the graphene oxide-composite paper to form water plasticized graphene oxide-composite paper; and

(b) after plasticization has occurred and while the graphene oxide-composite paper is water plasticized, then cutting at least one expansion cut in the sheet of water plasticized graphene oxide-composite paper; and

(c) generating the graphene oxide-composite paper by performing the steps of:

generating a slurry of silk fibers in a liquid;

(ii) adding a predetermined amount of graphene oxide particles to the slurry;

(iii) removing the liquid from the slurry so as to form the graphene oxide- composite paper.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:

(a) applying aluminum nanoparticles as a reducing agent to a region of the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper so as to increase electrical conductivity of the region of the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper;

(b) subjecting sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper to electron beam evaporation of the reducing agent; and

(c) removing the reducing agent from the region of the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper so as to expose a region of reduced graphene oxide.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of manipulating a portion of the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper into a kirigami structure.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the cutting step comprises the steps of:

(a) programming a computer numerical controlled drag knife with a predetermined pattern of cuts;

(b) placing the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper on a platform of the computer numerical controlled drag knife; and

(c) activating the computer numerical controlled drag knife so as to cause it to cut the sheet of graphene oxide-composite paper according to the predetermined pattern of cuts.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:

(a) attaching a conductor to the region of reduced graphene oxide;

(b) encapsulating the flexible material with an envelope of an elastic triboelectric substance so that the conductor extends outside of the envelope, the triboelectric substance having a place on a triboelectric series that is different from a place on the triboelectric series of a contacting member.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the triboelectric substance comprises polydimethylsiloxane and wherein the place on the triboelectric series of the contacting member corresponds to a place on the triboelectric series for human skin.