Buckling and postbuckling of single-walled carbon nanotubes under combined axial compression and torsion in thermal environments

The buckling behavior of single-walled carbon nanotubes under combined axial compression and torsion is investigated by using molecular dynamics simulations, to evaluate interactive buckling loads, and to assess the effect of temperature changes on bucking and postbuckling responses. Simulation results show that both the armchair and zigzag tubes exhibit nonlinear interaction curves at different temperature considered, and the interactive buckling loads are strongly size dependent. The buckling and postbuckling behavior of single-walled carbon nanotubes depends strongly on the temperature. Rise in temperature results in decrease of interactive buckling loads and postbuckling equilibrium paths, and the effect of temperature varies with the value of load-proportional parameter. The results also reveal that the single-walled carbon nanotubes may display two kinds of typical buckling configurations under combined loads, which are characterized by notable features distinct from those presented in pure axial compression or torsion.