Buckling of hybrid nanocomposites with embedded graphene and carbon nanotubes

Abstract

With the aid of atomistic multiscale modelling and analytical approaches, buckling strength has been determined for carbon nanofibres/epoxy composite systems. Various nanofibers configurations considered are single walled carbon nano tube (SWCNT) and single layer graphene sheet (SLGS) and SLGS/SWCNT hybrid systems. Computationally, both eigen value and non linear large deformation based methods have been employed to calculate the buckling strength. The non-linear computational model generated here takes into account of complex features such as debonding between polymer and filler (delamination under compression), nonlinearity in the polymer, strain based damage criteria for the matrix, contact between fillers and interlocking of distorted filler surfaces with polymer. The effect of bridging nanofibers with an interlinking compound on the buckling strength of nanocomposites has also been presented here. Computed enhancement in buckling strength of the polymer system due to nano reinforcement is found to be in the range of experimental and molecular dynamics based results available in open literature. The findings of this work indicate that carbon based nanofillers enhance the buckling strength of host polymers through various local failure mechanisms.

Buckling of 2D nano hetero-structures with moire patterns

“…The atomistic models deployed here are based on the FE methodologies developed by the authors to study graphene and its associated nano structures [2,3,[15][16][17][18]. In this research work the FE analysis tool OPTISTRUCT has been used to model the dynamic behaviour of nano hetero-structures.…”

“…For instance, graphene shows great buckling strength [2,3], hexogonal Boron Nitride (hBN) [4] possesses outstanding spin polarized states [5] and Molybdenum Disulphide (MoS 2 ) [6] offers ex-ceptional electrical transport properties [7]. If different 2D nanomaterials are combined into one single nano hetero-structure, all these properties can be harnessed.…”

“…Furthermore, we investigate the influence of boundary conditions and lengths of nanosheets on their buckling capacity by means of a detailed set of numerical experiments. We must note that nonlinear buckling analyses on carbon-based nanostructures have been performed in the past [3,14]…”

“…Furthermore, the results of finite element based atomistic simulation are found to close to experimental results with a very low margin difference (1.8 %). It is important to note that the prediction of buckling strength of nanostructures such as single-layer graphene, bilayer graphene, single-wall carbon nanotube, and nanocomposites, using finite element based atomistic method by current authors[2,3,14] has been widely accepted by the nanomaterials research community. The current research involves applications of same well established method[2,3,14] to explore the buckling characteristics of nano hetero-structures.…”

“…It is important to note that the prediction of buckling strength of nanostructures such as single-layer graphene, bilayer graphene, single-wall carbon nanotube, and nanocomposites, using finite element based atomistic method by current authors[2,3,14] has been widely accepted by the nanomaterials research community. The current research involves applications of same well established method[2,3,14] to explore the buckling characteristics of nano hetero-structures. The current research work can serve as a benchmark for researchers intending to introduce high fidelity into the buckling models of nano hetero-structures, in the future.We must note that in the present FE modelling approach, an explicit expression for a potential energy function is required in order to establish an equivalence between the mechanical and atomic bond energies.…”