Imperfections in carbon nanotubes structure and their impact on the basic mechanical properties

Theoretical and experimental research of nanocomposite materials have shown that usage of carbon nanotubes as a reinforcement, significantly improves the mechanical properties of aforementioned composites. Carbon nanotubes rarely appear in ideal form. Different defects within nanotube structure such as vacancy defects, or waved shape of the nanotube, can greatly influence the mechanical properties of carbon nanotube and thus, decrease the final mechanical properties of carbon nanotube reinforced composites. The paper at hand investigates degradation of basic mechanical properties of single and double walled carbon nanotubes, straight and waved, with different vacancy and topological defects. Also, various nanotube patterns are considered. (paper)