Critical Buckling Load of Triple-Walled Carbon Nanotube Based on Nonlocal Elasticity Theory

The present paper investigates the nonlocal buckling of Zigzag Triple-walled carbon nanotubes (TWCNTs) under axial compression with both chirality and small scale effects. Based on the nonlocal continuum theory and the Timoshenko beam model, the governing equations are derived and the critical buckling loads under axial compression are obtained. The TWCNTs are considered as three nanotube shells coupled through the van der Waals interaction between them. The results show that the critical buckling load can be overestimated by the local beam model if the small-scale effect is overlooked for long nanotubes. Also, a significant dependence of the critical buckling loads on the chirality of zigzag carbon nanotube is confirmed, and these are then compared with: A single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs); and double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs). These findings are important in mechanical design considerations and reinforcement of devices that use carbon nanotubes.