The effects of CNT waviness on interfacial stress transfer characteristics of CNT/polymer composites

Based on the new simplified 3D Representative Volume Element (RVE) for a wavy carbon nanotube (CNT), an analytical model has been developed to study the stress transfer in single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) reinforced polymer composites. The model is capable of predicting axial as well as interfacial shear stresses along a wavy CNT embedded in a matrix. Based on the pullout modeling technique, the effects of waviness, aspect ratio, CNT diameter, volume fraction, Poisson’s ratio and matrix modulus on axial and interfacial shear stresses have also been analyzed in details. The results of the analytical model are in good agreements when compared with the corresponding results for straight CNTs.