Confined nanorods: jamming due to helical buckling

TL;DR

This paper studies how elastic nanorods confined in cylindrical channels buckle into helices under compression, revealing a mechanism for jamming due to helical buckling and variable force transmission.

Contribution

It demonstrates, using classical elasticity theory, that helical buckling occurs in confined nanorods and can lead to jamming within channels, a novel insight into nanoscale mechanical behavior.

Findings

Helical buckling occurs in confined nanorods under compression.

The pitch of the helix varies along the channel length.

Jamming can occur due to the buckling-induced helical shape.

Abstract

We investigate a longitudinally loaded elastic nanorod inside a cylindrical channel and show within the context of classical elasticity theory that the Euler buckling instability leads to a helical postbuckling form of the rod within the channel. The local pitch of the confined helix changes along the channel and so does the longitudinal force transmitted along the rod, diminishing away from the loaded end. This creates a possibility of jamming of the nanorod within the channel.