Superplastic deformation of defect-free Au nanowires via coherent twin propagation

Nano Lett. 2011 Aug 10;11(8):3499-502. doi: 10.1021/nl2022306. Epub 2011 Jul 20.

Abstract

We report that defect-free Au nanowires show superplasticity on tensile deformation. Evidences from high-resolution electron microscopes indicated that the plastic deformation proceeds layer-by-layer in an atomically coherent fashion to a long distance. Furthermore, the stress-strain curve provides full interpretation of the deformation. After initial superelastic deformation, the nanowire shows superplastic deformation induced by coherent twin propagation, completely reorientating the crystal from <110> to <100>. Uniquely well-disciplined and long-propagating atomic movements deduced here are ascribed to the superb crystallinity as well as the radial confinement of the Au nanowires.