Strength and breaking mechanism of multiwalled carbon nanotubes under tensile load

Abstract

The tensile strengths of individual multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were measured with a 'nanostressing stage' located within a scanning electron microscope. The tensile-loading experiment was prepared and observed entirely within the microscope and was recorded on video. The MWCNTs broke in the outermost layer ('sword-in-sheath' failure), and the tensile strength of this layer ranged from 11 to 63 gigapascals for the set of 19 MWCNTs that were loaded. Analysis of the stress-strain curves for individual MWCNTs indicated that the Young's modulus E of the outermost layer varied from 270 to 950 gigapascals. Transmission electron microscopic examination of the broken nanotube fragments revealed a variety of structures, such asa nanotube ribbon, a wave pattern, and partial radial collapse.