Structural defects usually reduced the load carrying capacity of materials. Here, it was shown by molecular dynamics simulations that there was an anomalous vacancy-defect-induced enhancement of inter-wall load transfer in annealed carbon nanotubes. The large increase in load transfer arose mainly from the hybrid sp2-sp3 inter-wall bonds at the vacancy edges, which were stronger than the sp3 inter-wall bonds in pristine carbon nanotubes. This finding offered insights into a better understanding and design of carbon nanotube-based high-performance nanocomposites.

Enhancing Interwall Load Transfer by Vacancy Defects in Carbon Nanotubes. D.Santo Pietro, C.Tang, C.Chen: Applied Physics Letters, 2012, 100[3], 033118