Measuring the strength of individual

1. Measuring the strength of individual metal nanoparticlesDhiraj K. Sardar, University of Texas at San Antonio, DMR 0934218 Mechanical properties of materials have been widely investigated for many years in order to develop stronger materials. This can be achieved by changing the structure of the materials at the nano scale, however, a loss in ductility can render these materials impractical in many cases. Thus, the development of materials with high strength and ductility is of high interest in many research areas, from MEMS fabrications to lubricants. It is well known that the properties of any material changes at the nanoscale. Our PREM researchers have been able to test the mechanical properties of individual gold nanoparticles under 80 nm in size. These nanoparticles presented yield strengths in the order of GPa, however, nanoparticles containing coherent twin boundaries were compressed more than 80% without fracturing. Nanoparticles with twin boundaries can be synthesize from many different materials like Cu, Ag, Pt, Pd, opening many possibilities. One of the projects of our PREM is focused in understanding why these nanoparticles present such properties, and a future work is to test particles made out of cheaper materials, such as cooper, in order to implement them in real applications. Gilberto Cassilas (Ph.D. Student) Dr. Miguel Yacaman (Advisor) 100 nm Transmission electron micrographs of an in-situ compression experiment of an individual gold nanoparticle. 20 nm For more details, visit the UTSA PREM website at physics.utsa.edu/PREM