Stable rotation transmission of a CNT-based nanogear drive system with intersecting axes at low temperature

J Shi and Z Cao and JB Wang and JH Shen and K Cai, SURFACE SCIENCE, 693, 121548 (2020).

DOI: 10.1016/j.susc.2019.121548

Using molecular dynamics simulation, the dynamic response of a nanogear drive system with intersecting axes was investigated. The nanogear drive system made from carbon nanotubes (CNT) contains two parts, i.e., a motor and a nanobearing. Their tube axes have an intersecting angle of theta. Due to van der Weals (vdW) interaction at their adjacent edges, the rotor in the bearing can be driven to rotate by the constant-speed motor. By increasing the value of theta, the vdW interaction decreases and the difference between the rotational frequencies of the motor and the rotor becomes larger. Especially, at temperature below 100 K, the system with theta = 60 degrees has very stable and asynchronous transmission effect, which will benefit potential application of an asynchronous rotation transmission nanosystem in a nanomachine.

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