Effect of novel elastic foundations on the thermal buckling behavior of organic nanobeams

To improve the efficiency of converting solar energy into electricity for practical use, organic solar cell structures have been extensively developed and implemented. These structures, especially at the nanoscale, are critical in advancing highly sensitive solar-powered sensors. This study introduces, for the first time, the thermal buckling analysis of organic nanobeams supported by a novel elastic foundation. The governing equations are derived using the nonlocal elasticity theory and a refined shear deformation theory. A modified Galerkin method is employed to solve the equilibrium equations, allowing for the determination of the critical thermal buckling load through straightforward integral expressions, highlighting the effectiveness and originality of the proposed approach. The validity of this approach is confirmed by comparing its results with existing analytical and numerical solutions. Additionally, a series of parametric studies is conducted to explore how geometric parameters and the novel elastic foundation impact the critical thermal load due to the temperature effect of the organic nanobeams. This research lays a solid scientific foundation that can assist engineers in the design of practical devices incorporating organic solar cells.