Experimental and numerical investigation into buckling instability of carbon nanotube probes under nanoindentation

Abstract

This study employs a series of experimental nanoindentation tests and molecular dynamics simulations to investigate buckling instabilities of carbon nanotube probes. It is found that the buckling mechanism varies as a function of probe lengths and initial inclination angles. The experimental results show that longer nanotubes buckle in local-buckling mode, whereas shorter nanotubes undergo global buckling. This study also suggests that the inclination angle also plays a key role in determining buckling behaviors of nanotube probes.