Diffusion-Mediated Superelongation in Metal Nanorods

H Fang and YY Pan and BZ Wu and C Lu and WE Ouyang and Z Liu, PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 132, 256201 (2024).

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.256201

We report in situ electron microscopy observation of the superelongation deformation of low -meltingpoint metal nanorods. Specifically, metal nanorods with diameters as small as 143 nm can undergo uniform stretching by an extraordinary 786% at -0.87 T m without necking. Moreover, the corresponding fracture stress exhibits a pronounced size effect. By combining experimental observations with molecular dynamic simulations, a crystal-core -liquid-shell structure is revealed, based on which a constitutive model that incorporates diffusion creep mechanism and surface tension effect is developed to rationalize the findings. This study not only establishes a pioneering reference for comprehending the diffusion -dominated constitutive response of nanoscale materials but also has substantial implications for strategic design and processing of metals in high -temperature applications.

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