Elastic properties of carbon nanotubes and nanoropes are investigated using an empirical force-constant model. For single and multiwall nanotubes the elastic moduli are shown to be insensitive to structural details such as the helicity, the radius, and the number of walls. The tensile Young's modulus and the torsion shear modulus of tubes are comparable to that of the diamond, while the bulk modulus is smaller. Nanoropes composed of single wall nanotubes have the ideal elastic properties of high tensile stiffness and light weight.

• Received 28 March 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.79.1297