Electro-Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotubes

伊利诺伊大学伊利诺伊分校厄巴纳-香槟分校，伊利诺伊州厄巴纳-香槟，伊利诺伊州，伊利诺伊州。研究的重点是碳纳米管的机械变形和电学响应之间的强耦合。采用建模和实验相结合的方法研究了定向纳米管埋入复合材料中的机电耦合问题。使用第一性原理模拟工具和基于原子学的纳米尺度连续介质理论来寻求对机电耦合效应的基本理解。利用HRTEM/STEM与EELS和FIB相结合的实验技术，表征了纳米管与基体的界面结构以及复合材料的微观结构。通过应变纳米管复合材料试件，测量了纳米管的机电耦合。对测量结果的解释是通过了解纳米管和基质之间的界面结构和传输机制的建模工作来完成的。该项目的成功在很大程度上取决于建模和实验工作的结合。碳纳米管中机械变形和电响应之间的强耦合为许多潜在的应用提供了独特的机会，如纳米级传感器和执行器、纳米机电系统(NEMS)和纳米电子器件。了解纳米管中的耦合现象使在纳米尺度上生产具有传感和驱动功能的智能材料和设备成为可能。该研究项目的成果包括纳米管机电耦合的基本测量数据，增强了对复合材料中纳米管与基质界面结构的认识，以及基于原子学的纳米尺度连续介质模型，用于分析碳纳米管和纳米管复合材料的力学响应和机电耦合。这些研究成果的应用大大提高了美国工业未来在纳米技术方面的竞争力。此外，在该项目中培训的研究生和本科生有望成为纳米科学和纳米技术的下一代领导者。

Electro-Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotubesby K. Jimmy Hsia, Yonggang Y. Huang, Ivan G. Petrov, and Ian M. RobertsonUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801AbstractThis research project is to assemble a multidisciplinary team with complementary expertise to study a class of very important material systems for nanotechnologies - carbon nanotubes and nanotube composites. The focus of the investigation is the strong coupling between mechanical deformation and electrical response in carbon nanotubes. An integrated modeling and experimental approach is taken to study the electro-mechanical coupling in composites embedded with aligned nanotubes. First-principle simulation tools and atomistic-based nanoscale continuum theory are used to pursue fundamental understanding of mechanical-electrical coupling effects. Experimental techniques using HRTEM/STEM in combination with EELS and FIB are used to characterize interface structures between nanotubes and matrix, and the microstructures of composites. The electro-mechanical coupling of nanotubes is measured by straining the nanotube composite specimens. The interpretation of the measurement results is accomplished by the modeling effort with an understanding of the interfacial structures and transport mechanisms between the nanotubes and the matrix. The success of this project strongly depends on the integration of the modeling and experimental efforts.The strong coupling between mechanical deformation and electrical response in carbon nanotubes provides a unique opportunity for many potential applications such as nanoscale sensors and actuators, nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS), and nano-electronic devices. Understanding the coupling phenomenon in nanotubes enables possible production of smart materials and devices with sensing and actuating functions at the nano-scale. The results of the research project include basic measurement data of the electro-mechanical coupling of nanotubes, enhanced knowledge of the interface structures between nanotubes and matrix in a composite, and atomistic-based nanoscale continuum models for analyzing mechanical responses and electro-mechanical coupling of carbon nanotubes and nanotube composites. Applications of these research results significantly improve U.S. industry's future competitiveness in nanotechnology. Furthermore, graduate and undergraduate students trained in the project are expected to become the next generation of leaders in nano-science and nanotechnology.