Iranian researchers from Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology in a theoretical study investigated the dynamic interaction between two perpendicular carbon nanotubes.

Results of the research have applications in the designing of nanosensors, medical nano-tools and electromechanical devices.

Carbon nanotubes have attracted the attention of many researchers in recent decades due to their desirable physical, chemical and mechanical properties. Although some studies have been carried out on the synthesis of nanotubes through the both horizontal and vertical shapes, no attention has been paid to the growth or the modeling of a complex containing both vertical and horizontal structures. Forest and membrane structures of carbon nanotubes have numerous applications.

Understanding the mechanical behavior of a system containing two single-walled carbon nanotubes beside each other is an introduction to understand the mechanical behavior of forest and membrane structures. Therefore, this research tries to present appropriate mechanical models to apply van der Waals force between two single-walled carbon nanotubes, and to evaluate the dynamic interaction between them.

Results of the research have applications in designing and analyzing nanomembranes and electromechanical nano-devices based on single and multi-walled carbon nanotube structures. According to the researchers, the change in van der Waals force was calculated due to the relative transverse movement of the two nanotubes in the presented model, and its effect on the movement of nanostructures containing perpendicular nanotubes was investigated.

Among the other new achievements of the research, mention can be made of the effect of shear deformation on the main frequency of the system and the ability of nonlocal Timoshenko Theory in the prediction of results obtained from high degree shear nonlocal theory.

Results of the research have been published in Composite Structures, vol. 125, issue 1, 2015, pp. 144-158.