Molecular dynamics simulations of four-point bending tests on SiC nanowires

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of four-point bending tests were conducted on hexagonal prism beta[111]-SiC nanowires. The nominal Young's modulus of bending was lower as the cross-sectional area of the nanowires became smaller. Considering a nanowire as a composite of a hypothetical bulk phase, a two-dimensional surface phase and a one-dimensional edge phase, we derived the bending rigidity and calculated the cross-sectional size-independent bulk Young's modulus, {110} surface Young's modulus, and edge stiffness per unit length. (C) 2008 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.