Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mechanics of Ultra-Strength Materials

  • Technical Feature
  • Published:
MRS Bulletin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recent experiments on nanoscale materials, including nanowires, nanopillars, nanoparticles, nanolayers, and nanocrystals, have revealed a host of “ultra-strength” phenomena, defined by stresses in the material generally rising up to a significant fraction of the ideal strength—the highest achievable strength of a defect-free crystal. This article presents an overview of the strength-controlling deformation mechanisms and related mechanics models in ultra-strength nanoscale materials. The critical role of the activation volume is highlighted in understanding the deformation mechanisms, as well as the size, temperature, and strain rate dependence of ultra strength.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. L.B. Freund, S. Suresh, “Thin Film Materials: Stress, Defect Formation and Surface Evolution” (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2003).

  2. S. Ogata, J. Li, S. Yip, Science 298, 807 (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  3. S. Ogata, J. Li, N. Hirosaki, Y. Shibutani, S. Yip, Phys. Rev. B 70, 104104 (2004).

    Google Scholar 

  4. T. Li, J.W. Morris, N. Nagasako,

  5. Kuramoto, D.C. Chrzan, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 105503 (2007).

  6. C.A. Schuh, T.C. Hufnagel, U. Ramamurty, Acta Mater. 55, 4067 (2007).

  7. J. Li, MRS Bull. 32, 151 (2007).

  8. M.A. Meyers, A. Mishra, D.J. Benson, Prog. Mater. Sci. 51, 427 (2006).

  9. M.R. Falvo, G.J. Clary, R.M. Taylor, V. Chi, F.P. Brooks, S. Washburn, R. Superfine, Nature 389, 582 (1997).

  10. M.F. Yu, B.S. Files, S. Arepalli, R.S. Ruoff, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 5552 (2000).

  11. B. Peng, M. Mocascio, P. Zapol, S. Li, S.L. Mielke, G.C. Schatz, H.D. Espinosa, Nat. Nanotechnol. 3, 626 (2008).

  12. I. Kaplan-Ashiri, S.R. Cohen, K. Gartsman, V. Ivanovskaya, T. Heine, G. Seifert, I. Wiesel, H.D. Wagner, R. Tenne, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 103, 523 (2006).

  13. B. Wen, J.E. Sader, J.J. Boland, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 175502 (2008).

  14. S. Hoffmann, I. Utke, B. Moser, J. Michler, S.H. Christiansen, V. Schmidt, S. Senz, P. Werner, U. Gosele, C. Ballif, Nano Lett. 6, 622 (2006).

  15. B. Wu, A. Heidelberg, J.J. Boland, J.E. Sader, X.M. Sun, Y.D. Li, Nano Lett. 6, 468 (2006).

  16. B. Wu, A. Heidelberg, J.J. Boland, Nat. Mater. 4, 525 (2005).

  17. J.R. Greer, W.D. Nix, Phys. Rev. B 73, 245410 (2006).

  18. C.A. Volkert, E.T. Lilleodden, Philos. Mag. 86, 5567 (2006).

  19. W.W. Gerberich, W.M. Mook, C.R. Perrey, C.B. Carter, M.I. Baskes, R. Mukherjee, A. Gidwani, J. Heberlein, P.H. McMurry, S.L. Girshick, J. Mech. Phys. Solids 51, 979 (2003).

  20. Z.W. Shan, G. Adesso, A. Cabot, M.P. Sherburne, S.A. Syed Asif, O.L. Warren, D.C. Chrzan, A.M. Minor, A.P. Alivisatos, Nat. Mater. 7, 947 (2008).

  21. C. Lee, X.D. Wei, J.W. Kysar, J. Hone, Science 321, 385 (2008).

  22. G.H. Vineyard, J. Phys. Chem. Solids 3, 121 (1957).

  23. G. Henkelman, B.P. Uberuaga, H. Jonsson, J. Chem. Phys. 113, 9901 (2000).

  24. A. Gouldstone, K.J. Van Vliet, S. Suresh, Nature 411, 656 (2001).

  25. P. Schall, I. Cohen, D.A. Weitz, F. Spaepen, Nature 440, 319 (2006).

  26. J. Li, K.J. Van Vliet, T. Zhu, S. Yip, S. Suresh, Nature 418, 307 (2002).

  27. R. Hill, Math. Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 77, 225 (1975).

  28. H.S. Park, P.A. Klein, Phys. Rev. B 75, 085408 (2007).

  29. T. Zhu, J. Li, A. Samanta, A. Leach, K. Gall, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 025502 (2008).

  30. H. Bei, Y.F. Gao, S. Shim, E.P. George, G.M. Pharr, Phys. Rev. B 77, 060103 (2008).

  31. C.A. Volkert, E.T. Lilleodden, D. Kramer, J. Weissmuller, Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 061920 (2006).

  32. Z.W. Shan, R.K. Mishra, S.A.S. Asif, O.L. Warren, A.M. Minor, Nat. Mater. 7, 115 (2008).

  33. O. Kraft, L.B. Freund, R. Phillips, E. Arzt, MRS Bull. 27, 30 (2002).

  34. A. Misra, J.P. Hirth, R.G. Hoagland, Acta Mater. 53, 4817 (2005).

  35. L. Lu, Y.F. Shen, X.H. Chen, L.H. Qian, K. Lu, Science 304, 422 (2004).

  36. E. W. Hart, Acta Metall. 15, 351 (1967).

  37. L. Lu, R. Schwaiger, Z.W. Shan, M. Dao, K. Lu, S. Suresh, Acta Mater. 53, 2169 (2005).

  38. T. Zhu, J. Li, A. Samanta, H.G. Kim, S. Suresh, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 104, 3031 (2007).

  39. J. Schiotz, K.W. Jacobsen, Science 301, 1357 (2003).

  40. A.S. Argon, S. Yip, Philos. Mag. Lett. 86, 713 (2006).

  41. H. Conrad, Nanotechnology 18, 325701 (2007).

  42. R.W. Armstrong, P. Rodriguez, Philos. Mag. 86, 5787 (2006).

  43. M. Dao, L. Lu, R.J. Asaro, J.T.M. De Hosson, E. Ma, Acta Mater. 55, 4041 (2007).

  44. H. Van Swygenhoven, P.M. Derlet, A.G. Froseth, Acta Mater. 54, 1975 (2006).

  45. K. Zhang, J.R. Weertman, J.A. Eastman, Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 061921 (2005).

  46. D.S. Gianola, S. Van Petegem, M. Legros, S. Brandstetter, H. Van Swygenhoven, K.J. Hemker, Acta Mater. 54, 2253 (2006).

  47. J.C.M. Li, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 215506 (2006).

  48. J.W. Cahn, Y. Mishin, A. Suzuki, Acta Mater. 54, 4953 (2006).

  49. M.W. Chen, E. Ma, K.J. Hemker, H.W. Sheng, Y.M. Wang, X.M. Cheng, Science 300, 1275 (2003).

  50. H. Van Swygenhoven, P.M. Derlet, A.G. Froseth, Nat. Mater. 3, 399 (2004).

  51. R.J. Asaro, S. Suresh, Acta Mater. 53, 3369 (2005).

  52. X.D. Han, K. Zheng, Y.F. Zhang, X.N. Zhang, Z. Zhang, Z.L. Wang, Adv. Mater. 19, 2112 (2007).

  53. T. Dumitrica, M. Hua, B.I. Yakobson, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 103, 6105 (2006).

  54. K. Kang, W. Cai, Philos. Mag. 87, 2169 (2007).

  55. T. Belytschko, S.P. Xiao, G.C. Schatz, R.S. Ruoff, Phys. Rev. B 65, 235430 (2002).

  56. D.H. Warner, W.A. Curtin, S. Qu, Nat. Mater. 6, 876 (2007).

  57. H.J. Frost, M.F. Ashby, “Deformation-Mechanism Maps” (Pergamon Press, New York, 1982).

  58. V. Yamakov, D. Wolf, S.R. Phillpot, A.K. Mukherjee, H. Gleiter, Nat. Mater. 3, 43 (2004).

  59. S. Yip, Nat. Mater. 3, 11 (2004).

  60. D.L. McDowell, Mater. Sci. Eng., R 62, 67 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  61. S. Suresh, J. Li, Nature 456, 716 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Ting Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ju Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shigenobu Ogata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sidney Yip
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhu, T., Li, J., Ogata, S. et al. Mechanics of Ultra-Strength Materials. MRS Bulletin 34, 167–172 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs2009.47

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs2009.47

Search

Navigation