Effect of Chirality on Resonant Behavior of Single Walled BN Nanotube Based Nanomechanical Resonator

Mitesh   B.   Panchal; S.H.      Upadhyay

doi:10.2174/1573413711309040016

Abstract

In the present work, the effect of chirality on the resonant behavior of the single walled boron nitride nanotube (SWBNNT) based on nanomechanical resonator has been reported. The structural molecular mechanics based on finite element model has been developed to simulate the different chiralities of the SWBNNTs. The cantilevered configuration of SWBNNT is considered to analyze the resonant behavior of the SWBNNT based resonators. The resonant behavior due to different values of added mass at the free-end of the nanotube is analyzed for the nanotubes of three different diameters, 0.6924 nm, 0.7993 nm and 0.8990 nm. The variation in chiral angle, between zigzag form (chiral angle, θ = 0°) to armchair form (θ = 30°) is considered. The resonant frequency variation due to attached mass is analyzed for different chiral angles for particular diameter and for different lengths of the nanotube in terms of the aspect ratio (length/diameter). The analysis of sensitivity check of zigzag form and armchair form is performed using present methodology. The resonant frequency variation due to change in length of nanotube is more significant as compared to that due to change in diameter of nanotube. The mass sensitivity limit of 10-25 kg can be achieved using SWBNNT based nanomechanical resonators. The change in chirality alters the resonant behavior of the nanotube. The obtained results show that with the decrease of chiral angle, the resonant frequency of the nanotube also decreases, which indicates that as the chiral angle decreases then the atomic structure of the nanotube turns to more closely packed structure and become more sensitive. The zigzag form of nanotube is more sensitive as compared to the armchair form of SWBNNTs.

Keywords: Boron nitride nanotube, chirality, resonant frequency, nanomechanical resonator.

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