Mathematical modelling for nanotube bundle oscillators

This paper investigates the mechanics of a gigahertz oscillator comprising a nanotube oscillating within the centre of a uniform concentric ring or bundle of nanotubes. The study is also extended to the oscillation of a fullerene inside a nanotube bundle. In particular, certain fullerene-nanotube bundle oscillators are studied, namely C60-carbon nanotube bundle, C 60-boron nitride nanotube bundle, B36N36-carbon nanotube bundle and B36N36-boron nitride nanotube bundle. Using the Lennard-Jones potential and the continuum approach, we obtain a relation between the bundle radius and the radii of the nanotubes forming the bundle, as well as the optimum bundle size which gives rise to the maximum oscillatory frequency for both the fullerene and the nanotube bundle oscillators. While previous studies in this area have been undertaken through molecular dynamics simulations, this paper emphasizes the use of applied mathematical modelling techniques which provides considerable insight into the underlying mechanisms. The paper presents a synopsis of the major results derived in detail by the present authors in [1, 2]. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.Ngamta Thamwattana, Barry J Cox and James M Hil