Theoretical study of stress transfer in carbon nanotube reinforced polymer matrix composites

An analytical model has been developed to study stress transfer in single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) reinforced polymer matrix composites. This model can be used to predict axial stress (sigma(n)) and interfacial shear stress (tau(i)) along the carbon nanotube (CNT) embedded in matrix materials. A simplified 2D representative volume element (RVE) of CNT has been considered in this analysis. An expression for the effective length (L-eff) of the carbon nanotube (CNT) has also been established for studying load transfer efficiency in CNT reinforced composites. The effects of CNT aspect ratio, CNT volume fraction and matrix modulus on axial stress (sigma(n)) and interfacial shear stress (tau(i)) has also been analyzed in details. Finally, the results of this analytical model are compared with finite element analysis. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.