Thermal-magneto-mechanical stability analysis of nanofluid conveying carbon nanotubes based on nonlocal couple stress theory

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have extensive biomedical applications in which a heat pulse is applied to the CNTs. The present study encompasses the novelty by focusing on the complicated effect of thermal loads and heat generation on the CNT stability with the aim of preserving and improving the stability. There is also a lack of research that evaluates the size-dependence using appropriate robust non-classic theory, which is incorporated by employing a hybrid method of nonlocal couple stress theory and nonlocal elasticity theory. Additionally, Euler–Bernoulli beam theory is employed for coupling the Navier–Stokes equation of magnetic-fluid flow with the CNT deformation. The CNT stability is evaluated by considering nonlocal and couple-stress sizing effect parameters, Knudsen number, magnetic field intensity, thermal effect, heat generation, and fluid flow velocity. Results indicate that, by rising the temperature gradient and the couple stress sizing effect parameter, the system stability is improved up to 19.07% and 16.58%. Whereas, by increasing the heat generation, the dimensionless critical velocity shows 6.91% decrease, which deteriorates the CNT stability. Results of the present study demonstrates that in CNT applications with the presence of thermal loads, neglect of thermal effects leads to misinterpretation of the system stability.

Keywords:

• Carbon nanotube
• nonlocal couple stress theory
• nonlocal elasticity theory
• stability analysis
• thermal load

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.