The UNT College of Arts and Sciences educates students in traditional liberal arts, performing arts, sciences, professional, and technical academic programs. In addition to its departments, the college includes academic centers, institutes, programs, and offices providing diverse courses of study.
Abstract: We report an atomistic simulation study of the behavior of nanocomposite materials that are formed by incorporating single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), with three different diameters, and a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) into a single-crystal nickel matrix. The interactions between carbon and nickel atoms are described by a modified embedded atom method potential. Mechanical properties of these nanocomposite materials are predicted by atomistic calculations and compared with that of fcc nickel and pristine CNTs. Our simulations predict that all Ni/CNT composites studied in this work are mechanically stable. Their elastic properties depend on the volume fraction and diameter of embedded CNTs. The single-crystal Young's modulus (E₁₁) of Ni/SWCNT composites exhibit a large increase in the direction of CNTs alignment compared to that of a single-crystal nickel. However, a moderate but gradual decrease is seen for E₂₂ and E₃₃ in the transverse directions with increase in CNT diameters. As a consequence, Ni/SWCNTs show a gradual decrease for the polycrystalline Young's, bulk and shear moduli with the increasing CNT diameters and volume fractions. These reductions, although moderate, suggest that enhancement of mechanical properties for polycrystalline Ni/SWCNT nanocomposites are not achievable at any CNT volume fraction. The Ni/MWCNT composite with high CNT volume fraction shows the highest increase in E₁₁. Unlike the E₂₂ and E₃₃ for Ni/SWCNTs, there is a significant increase in the E₂₂ and the E₃₃ for Ni/MWCNT. As a result, polycrystalline Ni/MWCNT composites show slight increase in the elastic properties. This suggests that nickel nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties can be fabricated using large volume fractions of larger diameter MWCNTs. Depending on type, alignment and volume fraction, Ni/CNT composites show varying degrees of elastic anisotropy and Poisson's ration compared to pure Ni. Simulation predicts strong adhesion at the Ni/CNT interface and a significant interfacial stress transfer between CNT and Ni matrix.
This article is part of the following collection of related materials.
UNT Scholarly Works
Materials from the UNT community's research, creative, and scholarly activities and UNT's Open Access Repository. Access to some items in this collection may be restricted.
Uddin, Jamal; Baskes, Michael I.; Srivilliputhur, Srinivasan; Cundari, Thomas R., 1964- & Wilson, Angela K.Modified embedded atom method study of the mechanical properties of carbon nanotube reinforced nickel composites,
article,
March 11, 2010;
[College Park, Maryland].
(https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc107769/:
accessed March 28, 2024),
University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu;
crediting UNT College of Arts and Sciences.