Nano Perspectives
Size Effect on Failure of Pre-stretched Free-Standing Nanomembranes
1 Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
3 Departmen of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
Nanoscale Research Letters 2010, 5:1236-1239 doi:10.1007/s11671-010-9625-y
Published: 15 May 2010Abstract
Free-standing nanomembranes are two-dimensional materials with nanometer thickness but can have macroscopic lateral dimensions. We develop a fracture model to evaluate a pre-stretched free standing circular ultrathin nanomembrane and establish a relation between the energy release rate of a circumferential interface crack and the pre-strain in the membrane. Our results demonstrate that detachment cannot occur when the radius of the membrane is smaller than a critical size. This critical radius is inversely proportional to the Young’s modulus and square of the pre-strain of the membrane.
