Work

Microstructure and nanomechanical properties of chemically etched gold nanoparticles

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: We show that chemical etching markedly alters the mechanical response of gold nanoparticles produced by solid-state dewetting. Both pristine and etched particles exhibit similar microcompression behavior: an initially elastic-like regime followed by an abrupt displacement burst, with pre-burst stresses in the gigapascal range characteristic of nucleation-controlled plasticity. However, etched particles display anomalously high pre-burst strains, reaching up to 45%. We demonstrate that etching introduces a high density of nanopores and stacking fault tetrahedra, which act as exhaustible dislocation sources. Their progressive annihilation during loading produces an elastic-like response, explaining the unusually large pre-burst deformations observed in etched nanoparticles.

Source: Scripta Materialia

DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2026.117321

Authors: Avraham Erez, Jonathan Zimmerman, Feitao Li, Eugen Rabkin

Institution: Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Microstructure and mechanical properties

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,220

Funder: Israel Science Foundation