Abstract
The present work aimed to characterize the free vibrations’ behaviour of nanocomposite plates obtained by incorporating graded distributions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a polymeric matrix, considering the carbon nanotubes’ agglomeration effect. This effect is known to degrade material properties, therefore being important to predict the consequences it may bring to structures’ mechanical performance. To this purpose, the elastic properties’ estimation is performed according to the two-parameter agglomeration model based on the Eshelby–Mori–Tanaka approach for randomly dispersed nano-inclusions. This approach is implemented in association with the finite element method to determine the natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes. Three main agglomeration cases were considered, namely, agglomeration absence, complete agglomeration, and partial agglomeration. The results show that the agglomeration effect has a negative impact on the natural frequencies of the plates, regardless the CNTs’ distribution considered. For the corresponding vibrations’ mode shapes, the agglomeration effect was shown in most cases not to have a significant impact, except for two of the cases studied: for a square plate and a rectangular plate with symmetrical and unsymmetrical CNTs’ distribution, respectively. Globally, the results confirm that not accounting for the nanotubes’ agglomeration effect may lead to less accurate elastic properties and less structures’ performance predictions.
Highlights
Carbon nanotubes’ (CNTs) remarkable characteristics makes them well suited for acting as a reinforcing phase in composite materials where high strength and low density are required or in applications where superior physical, mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties have to be guaranteed [1,2]
One can refer the work developed by Sobhani Aragh et al [3], where an equivalent continuum model based on the Eshelby–Mori–Tanaka (EMT) approach was employed to estimate the elastic properties of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced
A similar study was developed by Sobhadi Aragh et al [4], this time using the third-order shear deformation theory to investigate the dynamic behaviour of FG-CNTRCs cylindrical shells
Summary
Carbon nanotubes’ (CNTs) remarkable characteristics makes them well suited for acting as a reinforcing phase in composite materials where high strength and low density are required or in applications where superior physical, mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties have to be guaranteed [1,2]. Considering these nanoparticles’ potential use in a number of engineering fields, it is important to characterize the influence that their distribution and eventual agglomeration may have in the behaviour of structures, namely in their free vibrations’ behaviour. A similar study was developed by Sobhadi Aragh et al [4], this time using the third-order shear deformation theory to investigate the dynamic behaviour of FG-CNTRCs cylindrical shells
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