Adhesion between two radially collapsed single-walled carbon nanotubes

Continuum mechanics analysis and molecular mechanics simulations are performed to study adhesion between two identical, radially collapsed single-walled carbon nanotubes. Not only the inter-adhesion energy between nanotubes but also the inner adhesion energy in a nanotube is considered. A closed-form solution to the adhesion configuration is achieved, which is well consistent with our molecular mechanics simulation. Comparing the potential energy of the adhesion structures formed by two identical single-walled carbon nanotubes, three types of configurations, i.e., circular, deformed, and collapsed shape, will be formed with increasing carbon nanotubes radius and separated by two critical radii of the single-walled carbon nanotube. Furthermore, it is found that the collapsed adhesion structure possesses the highest interfacial adhesion energy. The results demonstrate that, as a potential application in carbon nanotube reinforced composites, arrays formed by collapsed carbon nanotubes will be optimal due to the strong interface strength.