Elastic modulus and resonance behavior of boron nitride nanotubes

The effective elastic modulus (E) of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) was measured using the electric-field-induced resonance method inside a transmission electron microscope. The average value of E from the measurements of 18 individually cantilevered BNNTs was 722 GPa, comparable to the theoretical estimate of similar to850 GPa. No strong variation of E with the diameter of the BNNTs, which spanned from 34 to 94 nm, was observed. Low quality factors (<680) obtained from the mechanical resonance is attributed to the layered structural nature of BNNT. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.