Torsional properties of spiral carbon nanocones

Abstract

Carbon nanostructure plays a unique role in advanced nanodevices. This work investigated the torsional properties and underlying mechanisms of spiral carbon nanocones (SCN) via atomistic simulations. The SCN exhibits four deformation stages, including linear elastic, nonlinear elastic, plastic and failure. The elastic phase is characterized by compressive stress at the inner covalent bond and tensile stress at the outer edge. The plastic transition is initiated at the innermost region, accompanied by in-plane folding. The interlayer interactions of the SCN facilitate its capacity to elicit an axial response during torsion. The resulting axial forces are governed by the layer number, cone angle, and the dimensions of both inner and outer radii. Outer radius exerts the most significant influence on SCN via the interlayer contact area. Furthermore, the inner radius and cone angle are intrinsically linked to the structural stiffness of the inner bore, which affects the axial mechanical response of the SCN during the nonlinear elastic and plastic phases. The Pearson correlation coefficient analysis has validated that these two parameters are the most crucial for SCN torsional performance. This work elucidates the prospective utility of SCN as a novel twist-to-push actuator for advanced nanodevices.