Influence of temperature change on column buckling of multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Based on theory of thermal elasticity mechanics, an elastic multiple column model is developed for column buckling of MWNTs with large aspect ratios under axial compression coupling with temperature change. In this model, each of the nested concentric tubes is regarded as an individual column and the deflection of all the columns is coupled together through the van der Waals interactions between adjacent tubes. The thermal effect is incorporated in the formulation. Following this model, an explicit expression is derived for the critical buckling strain for a double-walled carbon nanotube. The influence of temperature change on the buckling strain is investigated. It is concluded that the effect of temperature change on the buckling strain is dependent on the temperature changes, the aspect ratios, and the buckling modes of carbon nanotubes. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.