Mechanical properties of nanoporous gold

In this chapter, we have reviewed the most current results for the mechanical deformation and properties of nanoporous Au, as determined by a variety of testing techniques, as well as micromechanical models and simulations. Several different material properties such as yield strength, elastic modulus, Poisson ratio, and fracture toughness have been presented and evaluated. The macroscopic brittleness in np Au is a major factor that affects the accuracy of the current mechanical measurements; the degree of the brittleness differs slightly with composition and dealloying technique, and therefore a systematic study including both compression and tension tests is still needed. By incorporating new deformation models as well as simulations, it is possible to develop a new theoretical approach to predict the mechanical properties of np Au. At this point, the view of ligaments as individual columns or wires seems to neglect the complexity of interconnection between ligaments, which can be a major contributor to the measured or calculated values. Np Au is indeed a very complex material that exhibits both micro-ductility and macro-brittleness, and two levels of nanoscale components: ligaments and pores. Further studies are still needed that will allow the prediction of more general trends such as those found for macroporous foams.