Molecular dynamic investigation of length dependency of single-walled carbon nanotube

This paper investigates the effects of length’s variations on Young’s modulus, compressive elastic modulus, tensile, compressive, and lateral stiffness, critical buckling strain, critical axial force and pressure of armchair and zigzag single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Molecular dynamic simulation (MDS) method employed to analyse the mechanical properties of SWCNTs under tensile, compressive, and lateral loads. Both armchair and zigzag SWCNTs demonstrate higher tensile properties than compressive properties. Buckling modes of SWCNTs change with the length. Critical buckling strain of armchair nanotube is higher than that of zigzag type. Stiffness of SWCNTs is independent of length and chirality whereas elastic modulus increases with increase in nanotube’s length.