Carbon-based three-dimensional aerographite networks, built from interconnected hollow tubular tetrapods of multilayer graphene, are ultra-lightweight materials recently discovered and ideal for advanced multifunctional applications. In order to predict the bulk mechanical behaviour of networks it is very important to understand the mechanics of their individual building blocks. Here we characterize the mechanical response of single aerographite tetrapods via in situ scanning electron and atomic force microscopy measurements. To understand the acquired results, which show that the overall behaviour of the tetrapod is governed by the buckling of the central joint, a mechanical nonlinear model was developed, introducing the concept of the buckling hinge. Finite element method simulations elucidate the governing buckling phenomena. The results are then generalized for tetrapods of different size-scales and shapes. These basic findings will permit better understanding of the mechanical response of the related networks and the design of similar aerogels based on graphene and other two-dimensional materials.

Size distribution, Young’s moduli and electrical resistivity are investigated for CuO nanowires synthesized by different thermal oxidation methods. Oxidation in dry and wet air were applied for synthesis both with and without an external electrical field. An increased yield of high aspect ratio nanowires with diameters below 100 nm is achieved by combining applied electric field and growth conditions with additional water vapour at the first stage of synthesis. Young’s moduli determined from resonance and bending experiments show similar diameter dependencies and increase above 200 GPa for nanowires with diameters narrower than 50 nm. The nanowires synthesized by simple thermal oxidation possess electrical resistivities about one order of magnitude lower than the nanowires synthesized by electric field assisted approach in wet air. The high aspect ratio, mechanical strength and robust electrical properties suggest CuO nanowires as promising candidates for NEMS actuators.

It is assumed that close to the margins of ice-sheets, glacial, fluvial and aeolian processes overlap, and combined with weathering processes, produce numerous sediments, in which quartz is a common mineral. Quartz grains, if available, may serve as a powerful tool in determining the depositional history, transportation mode and postdepositional processes. However, quartz grain studies in some modern glacial areas are still sparse. In this study, we examine for the first time quartz grains sampled from the modern glacial and proglacial environments of the Russell Glacier, southwest Greenland in binocular microscope and scanning electron microscope, to analyze their shape, character of surface and microtextures. We debate whether the investigated quartz grains reveal glacial characteristics and to what extent they carry a signal of another transportation and sedimentary processes. Although glacial fracturing and abrasion occur in grain suites, most mechanical origin features are not of a high frequency or freshness, potentially suggesting a reduced shear stress in the glacier from its limited thickness and influence of the pressurized water at the ice-bed. In contrast, the signal that originates from the fluvial environment is much stronger derived by numerous aqueous-induced features present on quartz grain surfaces. Aeolian-induced microtextures on grain surfaces increase among the samples the closest to the ice margin, which may be due to enhanced aeolian activity, but are practically absent in sediments taken from the small scale aeolian landforms. In contrast, aeolian grains have been found in the bigger-size (1.0–2.0 mm) investigated fraction. These grains gained the strongest aeolian abrasion, possibly due to changes in transportation mode.

A unique two-source controlled nanoelectromechanical switch has been assembled from individual, single-clamped Ge nanowires. The switching behaviour was achieved by superimposing the control signals of specific frequencies to the electrostatic potential of the output terminals, eliminating the need for an additional gate electrode. Using an in situ manipulation technique inside a scanning electron microscope, we demonstrate that the pull-out force required to overcome adhesion at the contact can be significantly reduced by exciting mechanical resonant modes within the nanowire.