Buckling analysis of carbon nanotube bundles under torsional loading via a structural mechanics model

In this paper, to evaluate the torsional buckling behavior of nanotubes, the effects of van der Waals forces are modeled using a newly proposed nonlinear spring element. This method, designated as structural mechanics approach, is thus proved to be an efficient means to simulate the mechanical behaviors of carbon nanotubes. Due to the application of carbon nanotubes in different fields such as NEMS, where they are subjected to different loading, an investigation of buckling behavior of nanotube is necessary. This model is a combination of other structural model and isdesigned to eliminate the deficiencies inherent in each of the individual approaches.A structural mechanics model is employed for the investigation of the buckling behavior of CNT bundles of three SWCNTs in the CAE space of ABAQUS. To evaluate the buckling loads of carbon nanotube bundles, the effects of Van-der Waals forces are further modeled using a nonlinear spring element. The structural mechanics simulations reveal that CNT bundles comprising longer SWCNTs will exhibit lower critical buckling torque