Daniel Massatt (PI) and Yuri Antipov are the recipients of a $500,000 DEPSCoR research grant from the Department of Defense (DoD) on "Incommensurate Multi-Walled Nanotubes: Electronic and Mechanical Properties". This project focuses on studying the properties of carbon nanotubes, which are increasingly relevant in technologies like computing and electronic devices. The research will address the challenges posed by incommensurate systems—those without periodic structures—and their impact on electronic and mechanical properties.
The LSU research team will spend three years developing new models and computational tools. These tools will incorporate momentum space approaches from existing models, such as the Bistritzer-MacDonald model for graphene, and apply them to the study of carbon nanotubes. Mechanical properties will also be examined using a continuum model that leverages both machine learning and density functional theory.
The project aims to produce algorithms for calculating electronic characteristics like the density of states and transport properties for different types of nanotubes. Additionally, it will develop models for predicting the mechanical behavior of nanotubes under various conditions. This research is expected to enhance the understanding of carbon nanotubes and support the material science initiatives at Louisiana State University.