On the Free Vibrations of Piezoelectric Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Microbeams: A Multiscale Finite Element Approach

Abstract

In this article, the vibrational behavior of beam-type microstructures made of carbon nanotube-reinforced composite is studied based on a finite element approach accounting for micro-/nanoscale effects. It is considered that the surface of microbeams is perfectly bonded with a piezoelectric actuator layer. First, the random distribution of CNTs into the polymer matrix is modeled using a three-phase representative volume element (RVE), and the properties of CNT-reinforced polymer are determined for various volume fractions of CNT. In the selected RVE, the interphase region formed due to the interaction between CNTs and the matrix is taken into account. In the next step, natural frequencies of composite piezoelectric microbeams subject to different end conditions are calculated. The influences of CNT volume fraction, interphase, boundary conditions and geometrical properties on the results are investigated. © 2018, Shiraz University.