Tensile Properties of Partially Unzipped Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

We have studied the tensile properties of partially unzipped carbon nanotubes. Wehave found that when the edge dangling bonds are not passivated partially, unzippedcarbon nanotubes show diverse structural transformation behaviours at ambienttemperatures. The dangling bonds tend to rebond under certain conditions, leading tostructure back to the original carbon nanotube pattern and the speed of such selfhealing increases with rising temperature. When the cutting length is sufficientlylarge or the diameter of the original tube is small, the unzipped graphene end rolls upand forms various patterns, which is good agreement of previous theoretical andexperimental work