mechanical stability of sic/c double- and triple-walled nanotubes under compression: implications for structural integrity in battery electrodes

This study presents a comprehensive finite element (fe) analysis of the critical compressive buckling forces in concentric silicon carbide (sic) and carbon (c) multi-walled nanotubes (mwnts), focusing on their relevance to high-performance battery electrode applications. the analysis compares double-walled (dwnts) and triple-walled nanotubes (twnts) across variations in wall sequence, length, radius, and chirality (armchair vs. zigzag). results indicate that zigzag-configured mwnts exhibit superior axial stability compared to their armchair counterparts, due to enhanced bond alignment. twnts, particularly those with more carbon layers (e.g., c-c-c), demonstrate significantly higher buckling resistance, making them ideal candidates for mechanically robust nanostructures in energy storage devices. the outermost wall properties significantly influence the buckling behavior in dwnts, particularly at higher aspect ratios where global buckling modes dominate. while chirality effects are most pronounced at lower aspect ratios, radius-dependent effects show the opposite trend, with smaller radii providing enhanced stability primarily in short, low-aspect-ratio configurations. these insights inform the design of next-generation battery electrodes where nanostructural integrity under cyclic mechanical and electrochemical stresses is critical for long-term performance and reliability.