A Coupled Refined Model of Atomistic and Continuum Parameters of Diatomic Covalent Bonds

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Authors: Oleksandr Hondliakh, S. Antonyuk, Marc Weirich, Simon Paas
Cited by: 2
References: 49

Abstract

This study addresses the challenge of consistently transferring atomistic parameters of the C-C bond into phenomenological material characteristics within the framework of continuum mechanics. Particular attention is given to determining the effective transverse diameter of the covalent C-C bond in carbon nanostructures. The dependence of this diameter on Poisson's ratio ν is examined, and the influence of the interatomic stiffness constants kr,kθandkτ is systematically analyzed. Classical representative-volume models of the C-C bond based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam hypothesis violate thermodynamic stability conditions and lead to nonphysical Poisson's ratio values exceeding 0.5, due to the neglect of shear deformation effects. To overcome this limitation, an approach based on Timoshenko beam theory is proposed, accounting for both bending and shear deformations. This approach enables estimation of energetically equivalent states between the phenomenological representative volume and the corresponding atomistic C-C bond model. As a result, a sixth-order algebraic equation is derived linking the effective bond diameter, the Poisson's ratio, and the molecular mechanics force constants. Analysis of this equation reveals a narrow range of effective bond diameters and Poisson's ratios for which thermodynamic stability conditions are satisfied. Within this range, physically consistent macroscopic material parameters can be directly expressed in terms of atomistic force constants.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Boron and Carbon Nanomaterials Research Carbon Nanotubes in Composites Nonlocal and gradient elasticity in micro/nano structures

Publication details

Journal / source
Nanomaterials
Publisher
MDPI AG
Volume
16
Issue
6
Pages
347–347
Publication date
12 March 2026
Language
EN