Torsional behavior of chiral single-walled and double-walled carbon nanotubes

The torsional behavior of the chiral single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) is investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) method. The results show that the torsional behavior of chiral DWCNTs presents a weaker direction dependent than that of SWCNTs. The critical buckling shear strain of DWCNT in the untwisting direction of the outer tube is always greater than that in the opposite direction. The torsional rigidities of the DWCNT and its outer tubes are approximately identical. However, torsional elastic range of the DWCNT is much higher than that of the outer tube. Moreover, the torsional direction dependency of incommensurate chiral (n(1) + m(1), - m(1))@ (n(2),m(2)) tube is weaker than that of commensurate (n(1),m(1))@ (n(2),m(2)) tube, which implies that if the chiral angles of the inner and the outer tube of a DWCNT are arranged in opposite directions, the torsional direction dependency of a DWCNT will be further reduced. Meanwhile, rotational inertia of the DWCNT remains nearly unchanged under torsion in a quite large torsional range. These conclusions will be helpful in designing torsional components of NEMS (nano-electromechanical system) using carbon tubes.