Effect of Vacancy and Stone-Wales Defects on the Shear Strength of Carbon Nanotube-Polymer Interfaces

Abstract

In the present study interfacial characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their composite with different types of defects are calculated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Although single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) are found to have ultra-high stiffness and strength, an enormous scatter is also observed in available experimental results due to the presence of nanoscale defects such as vacancy and Stone-Wales defects. The current paper investigates the influences of Stone-Wales (S-W) and vacancy defects on the mechanical properties of composites containing defective CNTs.