Load transfer mechanism in carbon nanotube ropes

We used molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics to study the nature of load transfer in a single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) bundle consisting of seven (10,10) SWCNTs: one core tube surrounded by six tubes on the perimeter. The surface tension and the inter-tube corrugation are identified as t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Composites science and technology 2003-08, Vol.63 (11), p.1561-1569
Main Authors: Qian, Dong, Liu, Wing Kam, Ruoff, Rodney S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
A. Carbon fibers
A. Nanostructures
B. Mechanical properties
B. Modeling
C. Computational simulation
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Summary:We used molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics to study the nature of load transfer in a single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) bundle consisting of seven (10,10) SWCNTs: one core tube surrounded by six tubes on the perimeter. The surface tension and the inter-tube corrugation are identified as the two factors that contribute to load transfer. The surface tension effectively acts over a “line” (roughly over the circumference of each tube). The inter-tube corrugation scales linearly with respect to the contact surface area, and increases non-linearly as the inter-tube distance decreases. Relaxation in the nanotube cross-section leads to better inter-tube load transfer as a slight “faceting” develops; the tubes appear to be partially polygonized, rather than perfect cylinders. Compared with parallel bundles, twisting can significantly enhance the load transfer between neighboring tubes; this has been computed as a function of twist angle for this nanotube bundle system.
ISSN:0266-3538
1879-1050
DOI:10.1016/S0266-3538(03)00064-2