Mechanical and Thermal Stability of Carbon Nanotube Junctions

S.Q. Shi, W.C. Liu, F.Y. Meng
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, CN

Keywords: stability, carbon nanotube junctions

Abstract:

Mechanical and thermal stability of carbon nanotube junctions was studied using molecular dynamics simulation method. Junctions made from armchair and zigzag thin carbon nanotubes were first formed by thermal welding process, then tested under 1D and 2D tensile conditions. It was found that the strength of carbon nanotube junctions depends not only on testing temperature, but more importantly on defect configurations at the junctions.