title: Bending properties of carbon nanotubes encapsulating solid nanowires.
abstract: Using empirical potentials and atomistic simulations, we model three-point bend tests of single-walled carbon nanotubes encapsulating metal nanowires. The presence of a metal nanowire inside the nanotube greatly suppresses the tube-buckling instability. Increasing tube diameter leads to an increase in the bending strength; however, in contrast to hollow tubes, there is no decrease in the maximum deflection before buckling. Analysis of the principal bending vibrational mode shows a lowering of the frequency, associated with increased tube inertia. Remarkably, metal-filled tubes exhibit strong damping of oscillations whereas unfilled single-walled and multiwalled tubes show no damping. Our studies demonstrate the benefits of filling tubes with solids to modify bending strength and flexibility, suggesting applications for nanotube-based elements in micromechanical devices or nanoprobes.
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Danailov
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Keblinski
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nayak
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ajayan
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D003461:Crystallography / Q000379:methods*; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods*; D004548:Elasticity; D004559:Electric Wiring; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009038:Motion; D036103:Nanotechnology; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008670:Metals; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D006046:Gold