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Large-Displacement Indentation Testing of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays

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Abstract

Mechanical properties and deformation of the vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays (VA-CNTs) has been examined with large-displacement indentation tests inside a scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The in-situ indentation allows for establishment of the load-depth responses and real-time observations of the deformation processes. Under a cylindrical, flat indenter, the VA-CNTs exhibit elastic deformation at small displacement and then plastic deformation at large displacement. The critical indentation pressure (Pm), a measure of collapsing stress of the CNT arrays, is obtained. The magnitude of Pm is approximately equal to the collapsing stress of the carbon nanotube arrays obtained under uniaxial compression.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA

    Y. C. Lu & J. Joseph

  2. Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL/RXBC, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 45433, USA

    Q. Zhang, M. R. Maschmann & J. Baur

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, Case Western University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA

    L. Dai

  4. University of Dayton Research Institute, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, 45469, USA

    Q. Zhang

  5. Universal Technology Corporation, Dayton, OH, 45432, USA

    M. R. Maschmann

Authors
  1. Y. C. Lu
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  2. J. Joseph
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  3. Q. Zhang
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  4. M. R. Maschmann
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  5. L. Dai
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  6. J. Baur
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Correspondence to Y. C. Lu.

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Lu, Y.C., Joseph, J., Zhang, Q. et al. Large-Displacement Indentation Testing of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays. Exp Mech 52, 1551–1554 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-012-9609-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-012-9609-1

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