Small scale effect on flow-induced instability of double-walled carbon nanotubes

Small scale effect on flow-induced instability of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) is investigated using an elastic shell model based on Donnell’s shell theory. The dynamic governing equations of DWCNTs are formulated on the basis of nonlocal elasticity theory, in addition, the van der Waals (vdW) interaction between the inner and outer walls is taken into account in the nonlocal shell modeling. The instability of DWCNTs that is induced by a pressure-driven steady flow is investigated. The numerical computations indicate that as the flow velocity increases, DWCNTs have a destabilizing way to get through multi-bifurcations of the first and second bifurcations in turn. It is concluded that the natural frequency of DWCNTs and the critical flow velocity of the flow-induced instability are strictly related to the ratio of the length to the outer radius of DWCNTs, the pressure of the fluid and the small scale effects. Furthermore, it is interesting to observe that as the small scale effects are considered, the natural frequencies and the critical flow velocities of DWCNTs decrease as compared to the results with the classical (local) continuum mechanics, therefore, the small scale effects play an important role on performing the instability analysis in the fluid-conveying DWCNTs.

► Critical flow velocity of DWCNTs decreases as small scale effect increases.
► Critical flow velocity is strictly related to ratio of length to radius of DWCNTs.
► Natural frequency of DWCNTs decreases as small scale effect increases.
► DWCNTs get through multi-bifurcations in turn as flow velocity increases.
► Small scale effect is crucial on instability in fluid-conveying DWCNTs.