Abstract
AbstractGallium nanoparticles (Ga NPs) are attracting increasing attention because of their appealing physical‐chemical properties. In particular, their mechanical properties play a key role in the implementation of these core‐shell structures on certain applications, such as soft and stretchable electronics. Thus, efforts are being addressed to modulate them mainly by chemical means. In contrast, this study investigates how the mechanical properties of the outer gallium thin oxide shell change when its thickness is increased through a thermal oxidation strategy. Specifically, as‐deposited Ga NPs, as well as those subjected to thermal oxidation at 300 °C for three different times, are studied by performing single‐particle indentations by atomic force microscopy over a wide range of NP radius. This analysis helps to confirm that the Reissner's thin‐shell model for small deformations within the elastic regime is obeyed. From these data, the dependence of the shell stiffness and the Young's modulus of the gallium oxide on the thermal treatment is obtained. It is found that the shell stiffness increases with the annealing time, even by a factor of 50 under prolonged thermal oxidation, while the gallium oxide Young's modulus, close to 30 GPa, does not change significantly.
Highlights
Nanoparticles (NPs) are attracting increasing attention from the scientific community due to their multiple appli cations.[1–3] In particular, those that pre sent a liquid core surrounded by a solid shell, named liquid metal nanoparticles (LMNPs), are characterized by having low melting points, which makes their liquid state accessible to practical applications in various fields of chemical and physical sci ences.[4]
We report on the results obtained on Gallium nanoparticles (Ga NPs) by using a new strategy, by thermal oxidation.[31]
Here we study the mechan ical properties of Ga NPs by atomic force microscopy (AFM) indentations of a wide range size of NPs with a high statistical significance. We have studied these properties for the as-deposited Ga NPs, and for NPs thermally oxidized at 300 °C for different times, namely, 15, 400, and 1200 min, which leads to increasing shell thickness
Summary
Nanoparticles (NPs) are attracting increasing attention from the scientific community due to their multiple appli cations.[1–3] In particular, those that pre sent a liquid core surrounded by a solid shell, named liquid metal nanoparticles (LMNPs), are characterized by having low melting points, which makes their liquid state accessible to practical applications in various fields of chemical and physical sci ences.[4]. Nanoparticles (NPs) are attracting increasing attention from the scientific community due to their multiple appli cations.[1–3]. Those that pre sent a liquid core surrounded by a solid shell, named liquid metal nanoparticles (LMNPs), are characterized by having low melting points, which makes their liquid state accessible to practical applications in various fields of chemical and physical sci ences.[4]. S. Catalán-Gómez Institute for Optoelectronics Systems and Microtechnology ISOM Universidad Politécnica de Madrid Madrid E-28040, Spain. M. Morales Instituto Galego de Física de Altas Enerxías (IGFAE) Universidade de Santiago de Compostela Galicia E-15782, Spain. I. Molina Departamento de Ciencia de los Materiales Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Química Inorgánica Universidad de Cádiz Puerto Real E-11510, Spain
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call