Finite element modeling of the vibrational behavior of multi-walled nested silicon-carbide and carbon nanotubes

This study concerns the vibrational behavior of multi-walled nested silicon-carbide and carbon nanotubes using the finite element method. The beam elements are used to model the carbon-carbon and silicon-carbon bonds. Besides, spring elements are employed to simulate the van der Waals interactions between walls. The effects of nanotube arrangement, number of walls, geometrical parameters and boundary conditions on the frequencies of nested silicon-carbide and carbon nanotubes are investigated. It is shown that the double-walled nanotubes have larger frequencies than triple-walled nanotubes. Besides, replacing silicon carbide layers with carbon layers leads to increasing the frequencies of nested silicon-carbide and carbon nanotubes. Comparing the first ten mode shapes of nested nanotubes, it is observed that the mode shapes of armchair and zigzag nanotubes are almost the same.