Multiscale Peridynamic Modeling of Carbon Nanotube-Based Composites

View Video Presentation: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2023-2032.vid Recent work has shown that the elastic modulus of carbon nanotube-based yarns can be increased by irradiating the yarn. Crosslinking of carbon nanotubes caused by irradiation may be responsible for the observed stiffening. Theoretically, crosslinking would cause defects in the carbon nanotubes while making the yarn stiffer. In this study, the effects of the carbon nanotube- carbon nanotube interfaces on the bundle longitudinal properties were explored. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to obtain individual carbon nanotube properties. A peridynamic framework was used to assign mechanical properties to the carbon nanotube - carbon nanotube interfaces. Under tensile loading, bundles of pristine carbon nanotubes were simulated. In separate simulations, bundles of defected carbon nanotubes with stiffer carbon nanotube-carbon nanotube interfaces were tested. Stress-strain responses of simulated bundles were obtained; variation of bundle modulus and bundle strength were evaluated according to the properties of the interfaces between the carbon nanotubes.