Electromechanical coupling characteristics of carbon nanotube reinforced cantilever nano-actuator

Abstract

The electromechanical coupling characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced cantilever nano-actuator are investigated by considering surface effect, nonlocal scale effect containing the long-range forces among atoms, van der Waals force as molecular interaction, and Casimir force as macro effect of quantum field fluctuation. The extremely nonlinear governing equation is derived by utilizing energy methods based on Eringen's nonlocal elasticity theory and Young–Laplace's surface effect model. Some useful finding and results show that the pull-in voltage and deflection of nano-actuator increase with the increase of CNTs volume ratio, the increase of the nonlocal scale parameter enhances the pull-in voltage, but declines the pull-in deflection, and the surface effect becomes gradually significant as the thickness of CNTs reinforced nano-actuator decreases. In addition, it is found that van der Waals force and Casimir force could lead to the collapse of nano-actuator without applied voltage, where the influence of Casimir force is more significant than that of van der Waals force on the electromechanical coupling behavior of CNTs reinforced nano-actuator.