Dynamic buckling of a nano-wire of crystal copper

The dynamic buckling of a nano-wire of crystal copper is studied including the effects of stress wave, with help of molecular dynamics simulation and buckling theory of continuum mechanics. In the molecular dynamics simulation, the embedded atom potential given by Doyama et al. is used to describe the interatomic interactions, and the dynamic buckling of the nano-wire of crystal copper under axial step load is simulated. For comparison, the nano-wire is modeled as an elastic rod subject to the axial step load, and is analyzed on the basis of buckling theory. The molecular dynamics simulation gives a slightly higher critical load than the buckling theory. Furthermore, the buckling theory predicts that the stress wave has a remarkable effect on the dynamic buckling of nano-wires of crystal copper.