Xing YB, Zhou XH, Zhang Y, Guo YX, Ma L, Lei XG, Guo WT, M. O, Y. T. High-spin structure in (187)Pt. Science in China Series G-Physics Mechanics & Astronomy. 2008;51:1053.
The mechanical properties of individual WS(2) nanotubes were investigated and directly related to their atomic structure details by in situ transmission electron microscope measurements. A brittle mode deformation was observed in bending tests of short (ca. 1 mu m in length) multilayer nanotubes. This mode can be related to the atomic structure of their shells. In addition, longer nanotubes (6-7 mu m in length) were deformed in situ scanning electron microscope, but no plastic deformation was detected. A "sword-in-sheath" fracture mechanism was revealed in tensile loading of a nanotube, and the sliding of inner shells inside the outermost shell was imaged "on-line". Furthermore, bending modulus of 217 GPa was obtained from measurements of the electric-field-induced resonance of these nanotubes.