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Investigation the stability of SWCNT-polymer composites in the presence of CNT geometrical defects using multiscale modeling

Montazeri, A ; Sharif University of Technology | 2008

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  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. Publisher: Department of Scientific Computing, Florida State University , 2008
  3. Abstract:
  4. CNT-reinforced polymer composites have attracted attention due to their exceptional high strength. The high strength can be affected by the presence of defects in the nanotubes used as reinforcements in the practical nanocomposites. In this paper, a Molecular Structural Mechanics / Finite Element (MSM/FE) multiscale modeling is used to study the effect of carbon nanotube geometrical defects on the stability of SWCNT-polymer composites. Here, two types of representative volume elements (RVEs) for these nanocomposites are considered with perfect and defected CNT. These RVEs have the same dimensions. The nanotube is modeled at the atomistic scale using molecular structural mechanics whereas the polymer matrix deformation is analyzed by the finite element method. For modeling the polymer matrix, a three-dimensional eight-noded element is employed. The nanotube and polymer matrix are assumed to be bonded by van der Waals interactions based on the Lennard-Jones potential. In order to study the stability of the nanocomposites, the buckling strain is calculated for perfect and defected carbon nanotubes in the polymer nanocomposites. The results reveal that the presence of defects causes a decrease in axial buckling strain in comparison with perfect SWCNT-polymer composites. © MMM 2008. All rights reserved
  5. Keywords:
  6. Composite materials ; Defects ; Lennard-Jones potential ; Nanocomposites ; Polymer matrix ; Reinforcement ; Van der Waals forces ; Yarn ; Geometrical defects ; Matrix deformation ; Molecular structural mechanics ; Multi-scale Modeling ; Polymer nanocomposite ; Reinforced polymer composites ; Representative volume element (RVE) ; Van Der Waals interactions ; Carbon nanotubes
  7. Source: 4th International Conference on Multiscale Materials Modeling, MMM 2008, 27 October 2008 through 31 October 2008 ; 2008 , Pages 163-166 ; 9780615247816 (ISBN)