Pseudoclimb and dislocation dynamics in superplastic nanotubes

Plastic relaxation of carbon nanotubes under tension and at high temperature is described in terms of dislocation theory and with atomistic computer simulations. It is shown how the glide of pentagon-heptagon defects and a particular type of their pseudoclimb, with the atoms directly breaking out of the lattice, work concurrently to maintain the tube perfection. Derived force diagram quantifies the balance between these mechanisms, while simulations show both helical and longitudinal movement of the kinks, in agreement with the forces and with experimental observations.