Nonlocal Modeling and Behavior of Carbon Nanotube-Based Sensors in Thermal Environment

An exact solution that investigates the pre-buckling characteristics of nonlocal carbon nanotube (CNT)-based mass sensor subjected to thermal load under clamped-clamped boundary condition is determined. The uniform temperature rise is utilized to study thermal effects on the sensitivity of the mechanical resonator in pre-buckling configuration. Using Eringen’s nonlocal theory, along with the Hamilton’s principle, the governing equations considering small scale and geometric nonlinearity are derived. The influences of important parameters including nonlocal parameter, temperature change, length, and diameter of the CNT on the pre-buckling behavior and frequency shift of the CNT-based mass detector are also studied. Results show that these parameters have significant impact on the dynamic characteristics of the CNT-mass sensor.