Thermal effect on wave propagation in double-walled carbon nanotubes embedded in a polymer matrix using nonlocal elasticity

The thermal effect on wave propagation in double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) embedded in a polymer matrix is studied in this paper via nonlocal elasticity. The small-scale effects on vibration characteristics of carbon nanotubes are explicitly derived through a complete continuum beam model. In example calculations, the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes and polymer matrix are treated as the functions of temperature change. The research work reveals the significance of the small-scale effect on wave propagation in DWNTs. It is also demonstrated that some properties of transverse vibrations of DWNTs are dependent on the change of temperature. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.