We present an analytical study for the elastic properties of
single-walled boron nitride nanotubes via a molecular mechanics model.
Closed-form expressions for Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio and surface
shear modulus are derived as functions of the nanotube diameter. The
results are helix angle sensitive and comparable to those from ab initio
calculations. This work is a first effort to establish analytical model of
molecular mechanics for composite nanotubes and reveals the dissimilarities
between size-dependent elastic properties of carbon and boron nitride
nanotubes.
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