A hybrid continuum and molecular mechanics model for the axial buckling of chiral single-walled carbon nanotubes

The purpose of this study is to describe the axial buckling behavior of chiral single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) using a combined continuum-atomistic approach. To this end, the nonlocal Flugge shell theory is implemented into which the nonlocal elasticity of Eringen incorporated. Molecular mechanics is used in conjunction with density functional theory (DFT) to precisely extract the effective in-plane and bending stiffnesses and Poisson's ratio used in the developed nonlocal Flugge shell model. The Rayleigh-Ritz procedure is employed to analytically solve the problem in the context of calculus of variation. The results generated from the present hybrid model are compared with those from molecular dynamics simulations as a benchmark of good accuracy and excellent agreement is achieved. The influences of small scale factor, commonly used boundary conditions and chirality on the critical buckling load are fully explored. It is indicated that the importance of the small length scale is affected by the type of boundary conditions considered.     

Prediction of compressive post-buckling behavior of single-walled carbon nanotubes in thermal environments

In the present investigation, the axial buckling and post-buckling configurations of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are studied including the thermal environment effect. For this purpose, Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity continuum theory is implemented into the classical Euler–Bernoulli beam theory to represent the SWCNTs as a nonlocal elastic beam model. A closed-form analytical solution is carried out to analyze the static response of SWCNTs in their post-buckling state in which the axial buckling load is assumed to be beyond the critical axial buckling load. Common sets of boundary conditions, named simply supported–simply supported (SS–SS), clamped–clamped (C–C), and clamped–simply supported (C–SS), are considered in the investigation. Selected numerical results are given to represent the variation of the carbon nanotube’s mid-span deflection with the applied axial load corresponding to various nonlocal parameters, length-to-diameter aspect ratios, temperature changes, and end supports. Moreover, a comparison between the post-buckling behaviors of SWCNTs at low- and high-temperature environments is presented. It is found that the size effect leads to a decrease of the axial buckling load especially for SWCNTs with C–C boundary conditions. Also, it is revealed that the value of the temperature change plays different roles in the post-buckling response of SWCNTs at low- and high-temperature environments.     

Buckling analysis of nanobeams with exponentially varying stiffness by differential quadrature method

We present the application of differential quadrature(DQ) method for the buckling analysis of nanobeams with exponentially varying stiffness based on four different beam theories of Euler-Bernoulli, Timoshenko, Reddy, and Levison.The formulation is based on the nonlocal elasticity theory of Eringen. New results are presented for the guided and simply supported guided boundary conditions. Numerical results are obtained to investigate the effects of the nonlocal parameter,length-to-height ratio, boundary condition, and nonuniform parameter on the critical buckling load parameter. It is observed that the critical buckling load decreases with increase in the nonlocal parameter while the critical buckling load parameter increases with increase in the length-to-height ratio.     

Transverse Vibration of Tapered Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Embedded in Viscoelastic Medium

Based on the nonlocal theory, Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and Kelvin viscoelastic foundation model, free transverse vibration is studied for a tapered viscoelastic single-walled carbon nanotube (visco-SWCNT) embedded in a viscoelastic medium. Firstly, the governing equations for vibration analysis are established. And then, we derive the natural frequencies in closed form for SWCNTs with arbitrary boundary conditions by applying transfer function method and perturbation method. Numerical results are also presented to discuss the effects of nonlocal parameter, relaxation time and taper parameter of SWCNTs, and material property parameters of the medium. This study demonstrates that the proposed model is available for vibration analysis of the tapered SWCNTs-viscoelastic medium coupling system.     

Effect of Longitudinal Magnetic Field on Vibration Characteristics of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in a Viscoelastic Medium

The effect of longitudinal magnetic field on vibration response of a sing-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) embedded in viscoelastic medium is investigated. Based on nonlocal Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, Maxwell’s relations, and Kelvin viscoelastic foundation model, the governing equations of motion for vibration analysis are established. The complex natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes in closed form for the embedded SWCNT with arbitrary boundary conditions are obtained using transfer function method (TFM). The new analytical expressions for the complex natural frequencies are also derived for certain typical boundary conditions and Kelvin-Voigt model. Numerical results from the model are presented to show the effects of nonlocal parameter, viscoelastic parameter, boundary conditions, aspect ratio, and strength of the magnetic field on vibration characteristics for the embedded SWCNT in longitudinal magnetic field. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed methods for vibration analysis of embedded SWCNTs under magnetic field.     

Nonlocal shear deformable shell model for thermal postbuckling of axially compressed double-walled carbon nanotubes

An investigation is reported of the thermal buckling and postbuckling of axially compressed double-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) subjected to a uniform temperature rise. The double-walled carbon nanotube is modeled as a nonlocal shear deformable cylindrical shell, which contains small-scale effects and van der Waals interaction forces. The governing equations are based on higher order shear deformation shell theory with a von Kármán–Donnell-type of kinematic nonlinearity and include thermal effects. Temperature-dependent material properties, which come from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and an initial point defect, which is simulated as a dimple on the tube wall, are both taken into account. The small-scale parameter, e ₀ a, is estimated by matching the buckling temperature of CNTs observed from the MD simulation results with the numerical results obtained from the nonlocal shear deformable shell model. The numerical illustrations concern the thermal postbuckling response of perfect and imperfect, single- and double-walled CNTs with different values of compressive load ratio. The results show that buckling temperature and postbuckling behavior of nanotubes are very sensitive to the small-scale parameter. The results reveal that temperature-dependent material properties have a significant effect on the thermal postbuckling behavior of both single- and double-walled CNTs.     

Buckling of single layer graphene sheet based on nonlocal elasticity and higher order shear deformation theory

Higher order shear deformation theory (HSDT) is reformulated using the nonlocal differential constitutive relations of Eringen. The equations of motion of the nonlocal theories are derived. The developed equations of motion have been applied to study buckling characteristics of nanoplates such as graphene sheets. Navier's approach has been used to solve the governing equations for all edges simply supported boundary conditions. Analytical solutions for critical buckling loads of the graphene sheets are presented. Nonlocal elasticity theories are employed to bring out the small scale effect on the critical buckling load of graphene sheets. Effects of (i) nonlocal parameter, (ii) length, (iii) thickness of the graphene sheets and (iv) higher order shear deformation theory on the critical buckling load have been investigated. The theoretical development as well as numerical solutions presented herein should serve as reference for nonlocal theories as applied to the stability analysis of nanoplates and nanoshells.     

Application of elastically supported single-walled carbon nanotubes for sensing arbitrarily attached nano-objects

The potential application of SWCNTs as mass nanosensors is examined for a wide range of boundary conditions. The SWCNT is modeled via nonlocal Rayleigh, Timoshenko, and higher-order beam theories. The added nano-objects are considered as rigid solids, which are attached to the SWCNT. The mass weight and rotary inertial effects of such nanoparticles are appropriately incorporated into the nonlocal equations of motion of each model. The discrete governing equation pertinent to each model is obtained using an effective meshless technique. The key factor in design of a mass nanosensor is to determine the amount of frequency shift due to the added nanoparticles. Through an inclusive parametric study, the roles of slenderness ratio of the SWCNT, small-scale parameter, mass weight, number of the attached nanoparticles, and the boundary conditions of the SWCNT on the frequency shift ratio of the first flexural vibration mode of the SWCNT as a mass sensor are also discussed.     

Buckling analysis of carbon nanotube bundles under axial compressive,bending and torsional loadings via a structural mechanics model

A structural mechanics model is employed for the investigation of the buckling behavior of carbon nanotube bundles of three single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) under axial compressive, bending and torsional loadings. The effects of van der Waals (vdW) forces are further modeled using a nonlinear spring element.The effects of different types of boundary conditions are studied for nanotubes with various aspect ratios. The results reveal that bundles comprising longer SWCNTs exhibit lower critical buckling load. Moreover, for the fixed-free boundary condition the rate of critical buckling load reduction is highest, while the lowest critical buckling load occurs. Simulations show good agreement between our model and molecular dynamics results.     

Nonlocal elasticity theory for thermal buckling of nanoplates lying on Winkler–Pasternak elastic substrate medium

In the present work, thermal buckling of single-layered graphene sheets lying on an elastic medium is analyzed. For this purpose, the sinusoidal shear deformation plate theory in tandem with the nonlocal continuum theory, which takes the small scale effects into account, is employed. The non-linear stability equations, which contain the reaction of Winkler–Pasternak elastic substrate medium, are derived and then solved analytically for a plate with various boundary conditions and based on various plate theories. Closed form solutions are formulated for three types of thermal loadings as uniform, linear and nonlinear temperature rise through the thickness of the plate. A number of examples are presented to illustrate the numerical results concerned with the buckling temperature response of nanoplates resting on two-parameter elastic foundations. The influences played by transversal shear deformation, plate aspect ratio, side-to-thickness ratio, nonlocal parameter, and elastic foundation parameters are all investigated.     

Vibrations of single- and double-walled carbon nanotubes with layerwise boundary conditions: A molecular dynamics study

In the present work, the vibration characteristics of single- and double-walled carbon nanotubes under various layerwise boundary conditions at different lengths are investigated. This is accomplished by the use of molecular dynamics simulations based on the Tersoff-Brenner and Lennard-Jones potential energy functions. The effects of initial tensile and compressive strains on the resonant frequency of carbon nanotubes are also taken into consideration. From the results generated, it is observed that the natural frequency of carbon nanotubes is strongly dependent on their boundary conditions especially when tubes are shorter in length. The natural frequency and its dependence on tube end conditions reduce by increasing the tube length. The natural frequency of DWCNTs lies between those of the constituent inner and outer SWCNTs and is nearer to those of the outer one. It is further observed that the natural frequency is highly sensitive to tensile and compressive strains. The frequency shift occurring in the presence of small initial strains is positive for tensile strains and negative for compressive strains. The results obtained provide valuable information for calibrating the small scaling parameter of the nonlocal models for the vibration problem of carbon nanotubes.     

基于非局部弹性理论的单壁碳纳米管轴向受压屈曲研究

基于非局部弹性理论，在考虑小尺度效应影响的情况下，建立了单壁碳纳米管在均匀轴向外 部压力下的壳体模型. 得到了单壁碳纳米管的轴向受压屈曲的临界条件，验证了小尺度效应 对纳米管轴向受压屈曲的影响. 经典的壳体模型理论由于没有考虑小尺度效应影响而导致碳 纳米管轴向屈曲临界压力值偏高. 关键词： 非局部弹性理论 碳钠米管 小尺度效应 轴向受压     

Early transient responses of multi-span stepped single-walled carbon nanotubes using the method of reverberation ray matrix

The early transient responses of multi-span stepped single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) under impact loadings are studied by the method of reverberation ray matrix (MRRM). The dynamics model of the carbon nanotubes is established in the Fourier phase space on the basis of the nonlocal Timoshenko beam model. The wave solutions of SWCNTs with arbitrary boundary conditions are obtained by the wave method. The reverberation ray matrix of the multi-span stepped SWCNTs is the product of scattering, phase and permutation matrices, which can be determined by the impact loadings, continuous conditions and boundary conditions. The early transient responses can be calculated by the inverse Fourier transform of the sum of initial ray groups. It can be found that the early transient displacement response in the very short time subjected to the impact loading is very small, while the transient transverse shear strain becomes large in the very short time. The influences of nanotubes span number, nanotubes type and boundary conditions on the early transient responses of multi-span stepped SWCNTs are investigated.     

Axisymmetric buckling of the circular graphene sheets with the nonlocal continuum plate model

In this article, the buckling behavior of nanoscale circular plates under uniform radial compression is studied. Small-scale effect is taken into consideration. Using nonlocal elasticity theory the governing equations are derived for the circular single-layered graphene sheets (SLGS). Explicit expressions for the buckling loads are obtained for clamped and simply supported boundary conditions. It is shown that nonlocal effects play an important role in the buckling of circular nanoplates. The effects of the small scale on the buckling loads considering various parameters such as the radius of the plate and mode numbers are investigated.     

Axial instability of double-nanobeam-systems

This Letter considers the axial instability of double-nanobeam-systems. Eringen's nonlocal elasticity is utilized for modelling the double-nanobeam-systems. The nonlocal theory accounts for the small-scale effects arising at the nanoscale. The small-scale effects substantially influence the instability (or buckling) of double-nanobeam-systems. Results reveal that the small-scale effects are higher with increasing values of nonlocal parameter for the case of in-phase (synchronous) buckling modes than the out-of-phase (asynchronous) buckling modes. The increase of the stiffness of the coupling elastic medium in double-nanobeam-system reduces the small-scale effects during the out-of-phase (asynchronous) buckling modes. Analysis of the scale effects in higher buckling loads of double-nanobeam-system with synchronous and asynchronous modes is also discussed in this Letter. The theoretical development presented herein may serve as a reference for nonlocal theories as applied to the instability analysis of complex-nanobeam-system such as complex carbon nanotube system.     

Free vibration study of layered cylindrical shells by collocation with splines

The free vibration of circular cylindrical thin shells, made up of uniform layers of isotropic or specially orthotropic materials, is studied using point collocation method and employing spline function approximations. The equations of motion for the shell are derived by extending Love's first approximation theory. Assuming the solution in a separable form a system of coupled differential equations, in the longitudinal, circumferential and transverse displacement functions, is obtained. These functions are approximated by Bickley-type splines of suitable orders. The process of point collocation with suitable boundary conditions results in a generalized eigenvalue problem from which the values of a frequency parameter and the corresponding mode shapes of vibration, for specified values of the other parameters, are obtained. Two types of boundary conditions and four types of layers are considered. The effect of neglecting the coupling between the flexural and extensional displacements is analysed. The influences of the relative layer thickness, a length parameter and a total thickness parameter on the frequencies are studied. Both axisymmetric and asymmetric vibrations are investigated. The effect of the circumferential node number on the vibrational behaviour of the shell is also analysed.     

Wave characteristics of single-walled fluid-conveying carbon nanotubes subjected to multi-physical fields

Wave propagation in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) conveying fluids and placed in multi-physical fields (including magnetic and temperature fields) is studied in this paper. The nanotubes are modelled as Timoshenko beams. Based on the nonlocal beam theory, the governing equations of motion are derived using Hamilton's principle, and then solved by Galerkin approach, leading to two second-order ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Numerical simulations are carried out to verify the analytical model proposed in the present study, and determine the influences of the nonlocal parameter, the fluid velocity and flow density, the temperature and magnetic field flux change, and the surrounding elastic medium on the wave behaviour of SWCNTs. The results show that the nonlocal parameter has a considerable influence on dynamic behaviour of the nanotube and the fluid flow inside it. The results also show that the magnetic and temperature fields play an important role on the wave propagation characteristics of SWCNTs.     

Assessment of Timoshenko Beam Models for Vibrational Behavior of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Using Molecular Dynamics

In this paper, we study the flexural vibration behavior of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) for the assessment of Timoshenko beam models. Extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations based on second-generation reactive empirical bond-order (REBO) potential and Timoshenko beam modeling are performed to determine the vibration frequencies for SWCNTs with various length-to-diameter ratios, boundary conditions, chiral angles and initial strain. The effectiveness of the local and nonlocal Timoshenko beam models in the vibration analysis is assessed using the vibration frequencies of MD simulations as the benchmark. It is shown herein that the Timoshenko beam models with properly chosen parameters are applicable for the vibration analysis of SWCNTs. The simulation results show that the fundamental frequencies are independent of the chiral angles, but the chirality has an appreciable effect on higher vibration frequencies. The SWCNTs is very sensitive to the initial strain even if the strain is extremely small.     

Variational principles for multi-walled carbon nanotubes undergoing buckling based on nonlocal elasticity theory

Variational principles are derived for multi-walled carbon nanotubes undergoing buckling using the semi-inverse method. Derivations are based on the continuum modelling of nanotubes taking into account small scale effects via the nonlocal theory of elasticity. Natural and geometric boundary conditions for multi-walled nanotubes are derived which leads to a set of coupled boundary conditions.     

Dispersion of dilatation wave propagation in single-wall carbon nanotubes using nonlocal scale effects

Nonlocal continuum mechanics allows one to account for the small length scale effect that becomes significant when dealing with micro- or nano-structures. This paper investigates a model of wave propagation in single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with small scale effects are studied. The equation of motion of the dilatation wave is obtained using the nonlocal elastic theory. We show that a dispersive wave equation is obtained from a nonlocal elastic constitutive law, based on a mixture of a local and a nonlocal strain. The SWCNTs structures are treated within the multilayer thin shell approximation with the elastic properties taken to be those of the graphene sheet. The SWCNT was the (40,0) zigzag tube with an effective diameter of 3.13 nm. Nonlinear frequency equations of wave propagation in SWCNTs are described through the effect of small scale. The phase velocity and the group velocity are derived, respectively. The nonlinear dispersion relation is analyzed with different wave numbers versus scale coefficient. It can be observed from the results that the dispersion properties of the dilatation wave are induced by the small scale effects, which will disappear in local continuous models. The dispersion degree can be strengthened by increasing the scale coefficient and the wave number. Furthermore, the characteristics for the group velocity of the dilatation wave in carbon nanotubes can also be tuned by these factors.