Numerical Simulations of Longitudinal Elastic Behavior of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes–Reinforced Polymer Nanocomposites

Abstract

The longitudinal elastic behavior of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and SWCNT reinforced polymer nanocomposites are investigated. Finite-element (FE) models of SWCNTs and SWCNT reinforced polymer nanocomposites are developed utilizing a multiscale modeling technique along with molecular structural mechanics (MSM), which provides material properties at a molecular scale and establishes relations between the steric potential energy and classic structural mechanics. The mechanical behavior of SWCNT reinforced polymer nanocomposites is dictated by the mechanical behavior of the SWCNTs embedded in the polymer matrix. Furthermore, varying the radius and length of the SWCNTs affects the longitudinal elastic properties of the SWCNT reinforced polymer nanocomposites. Specifically, the simulation results demonstrated that longitudinal elastic properties of SWCNT reinforced polymer nanocomposites would vary due to different applied loading conditions, i.e., discrete and continuous.