Mechanical Characterization of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes: Numerical Simulation Study

Abstract

The elastic properties of armchair and zigzag multiwalled carbon nanotubes were investigated under tensile, bending, and torsion loading conditions. A simplified finite element model of the multiwalled carbon nanotubes, without taking into account the van der Waals interactions between layers, was used to assess their tensile, bending, and torsional rigidities and, subsequently, Young’s and shear moduli. Relationships between the tensile rigidity and the squares of the diameters of the outer and inner layers in multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and between the bending and torsional rigidities with the fourth powers of the diameters of the outer and inner layers, were established. These relationships result in two consistent methods, one for assessment to the Young’s modulus of armchair and zigzag multiwalled carbon nanotubes, based on tensile and bending rigidities, and the other to evaluate shear modulus using tensile, bending, and torsional rigidities. This study provides a benchmark regarding the determination of the mechanical properties of nonchiral multiwalled carbon nanotubes by nanoscale continuum modeling approach.

Effect of Morphology and Structure of MWCNTs on Metal Matrix Nanocomposites

“…All CNTs exhibited an interlayer spacing ranging from 0.335 to 0.342 nm. This can indicate the type of the CNT, and for this interlayer distance, the armchair type is associated [1,[47][48][49]. Numerical simulation studies revealed that the MWCNT structure has an influence on the mechanical properties.…”

“…Numerical simulation studies revealed that the MWCNT structure has an influence on the mechanical properties. For instance, Sakharova et al [1] concluded by numerical simulation that this armchair carbon nanotube structure presents a slightly higher Young's and shear moduli compared with zigzag-structured ones, which can be an advantage of using them as reinforcement. In nanocomposite production, the structure of the CNTs can affect their final properties.…”

“…Numerical simulation studies of the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] and nanocomposites reinforced with CNTs [12][13][14][15][16][17][18] have attracted significant attention from the research community. Due to the extraordinary properties of CNTs [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26], such as high stiffness, high strength, high thermal conductivity and low weight, they have a significant number of potential applications.…”

Destructive Processing of Silicon Carbide Grains: Experimental Insights into the Formation of Interstellar Fullerenes and Carbon Nanotubes

“…We subsequently observed the formation of surficial nanostructures, which increased in size with multiple curved layers, separated ∼0.36 nm apart, indicative of graphitic carbon in the form of MWCNTs. 25 Figure 2 provides a TEM image of the small SiC grain (experiment 1) with the curved MWCNT coating. The inset shows a TEM image of a MWCNT displayed for comparison.…”

Development of Trans-1,4-Polyisoprene Shape-Memory Polymer Composites Reinforced with Carbon Nanotubes Modified by Polydopamine

“…The C=C covalent bond formed by sp 2 hybridization is one of the strongest covalent bonds in nature, so carbon nanotubes have extremely high mechanical properties [ 14 , 15 ]. The elastic modulus of CNTs can reach 1TPa, which is almost the same as that of diamond and about five times that of steel [ 16 ]. However, due to their high cohesion, CNTs are prone to form intertangled cluster structures, which hinders their effective dispersion in a TPI matrix [ 17 ].…”