The Effects of Carbon Nanotube Orientation and Aggregation on Static Behavior of Functionally Graded Nanocomposite Cylinders

In this paper, the effects of carbon nanotube (CNT) orientation and aggregation on the static behavior of functionally graded nanocomposite cylinders reinforced by CNTs are investigated based on a mesh-free method. The used nanocomposites are made of the straight CNTs that are embedded in an isotropic polymer as matrix. The straight CNTs are oriented, randomly or aligned or local aggregated into some clusters. The volume fractions of the CNTs and clusters are assumed variable along the thickness, so mechanical properties of the carbon nanotube reinforced composite cylinders are variable and are estimated based on the Eshelby–Mori–Tanaka approach. The obtained mechanical properties are verified by experimental and theoretical results that are reported in literatures. In the mesh-free analysis, moving least squares (MLSs) shape functions are used for approximation of displacement field in the weak form of equilibrium equation. Also, the effects of CNT distribution type and cylinder thickness are investigated on the stress distribution and displacement field of these cylinders.