Mechanical Properties of Beams from Self-Assembled Closely Packed and Aligned Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

To demonstrate the potential for microelectromechanical systems, nanotube beams composed from self-assembled closely packed and aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes were fabricated and their mechanical properties were measured. We found that the nanotube beams behave as a cohesive, rigid, and elastic body with a sound velocity of 10 100 m/s.