Dynamics of Multilayered Structures of VACNTs with Metallic Inter-layers

We study the dynamic behavior of periodic multilayered structures composed of compliant freestanding vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) arrays alternating with rigid metallic inter-layers, subjected to small transient excitations. The presence of intrinsically nonlinear effects in VACNTs arrays enable us to create materials and structures with tunable properties in which, for example, the stiffness can be tuned over a large range. As a result, the dynamic stress propagation properties in these materials can be tailored to specific applications.