Multilayered graphitic materials are not suitable as load-bearers due to their inherent weak interlayer bonding (for example, graphite is a solid lubricant in certain applications). This situation is largely improved when two-dimensional (2D) materials such as a monolayer (SLG) graphene are employed. The downside in these cases is the presence of thermally or mechanically induced wrinkles which are ubiquitous in 2D materials. Here we set out to examine the effect of extensive large wavelength/amplitude wrinkling on the stress transfer capabilities of exfoliated simply supported graphene flakes. Contrary to common belief we present clear evidence that this type of "corrugation" enhances the load-bearing capacity of few-layer graphene as compared to "flat" specimens. This effect is the result of the significant increase of the graphene/polymer interfacial shear stress per increment of applied strain due to wrinkling and paves the way for designing affordable graphene composites with highly improved stress-transfer efficiency.

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Patras Patras 26504 Greece

Department of Physics University of Patras Patras 26504 Greece

Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences Foundation of Research and Technology Hellas Stadiou Street Platani Patras 26504 Greece

Institute of Geochemistry Mineralogy and Mineral Resources Faculty of Science Charles University Prague Albertov 6 128 43 Prague 2 Czech Republic

J Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry of the CAS v v i Dolejskova 2155 3 182 23 Prague 8 Czech Republic

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Superlattice in collapsed graphene wrinkles