Bending Solutions of Cantilever Carbon Nanotubes and Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Elastic shell model based on the semi-moment theory is applied to investigate the bending problem of the cantilever carbon nanotube (CNT) with a moment applied at its tip. Analytical expressions of the stress and displacement are derived for the elastic bending problem. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is taken to verify this model. Computational results reveal show that for the zigzag CNTs with length-to-diameter ratio 2.35 similar to 14.11 and armchair CNTs with length-to-diameter ratio 2.41 similar to 12.39, results obtained from the model are coincide with those obtained from MD simulation.