Vibrational and dynamic analysis of C60 and C30 fullerenes using FEM

Abstract

Vibrational analysis of C60 and C30 fullerenes was performed using a finite element method (FEM). The vibrational behaviors of 10ea C60 and C30 fullerenes with 600ea and 300ea for each atomic carbon, respectively, were modeled using three-dimensional elastic beams of carbon bonds and point masses. Furthermore, dynamic analysis of fullerenes was performed using the nonlinear elastic elements. The natural frequencies, strain and kinetic energy were calculated by considering the van der Waals force between the carbon atoms in the hexagonal and pentagonal lattice. The natural frequencies strain and kinetic energy of fullerenes were estimated depending on the geometric fullerene type with boundary conditions. The natural frequencies of the 10ea C60 fullerenes increased significantly at higher modes of vibration. In the dynamic analysis, the change in displacement over time occurs more significantly along the z-axis than the x-, y-axis, and the value of a displacement vector sum is somewhat larger in the C30 than in the C60 fullerenes. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.