Abstract
Exposed to ionizing radiation, nanomaterials often undergo unusual transformations compared to their bulk form. However, atomic-level mechanisms of such transformations are largely unknown. This work visualizes and quantifies nanopore shrinkage in nanoporous alumina subjected to low-energy ion beams in a helium ion microscope. Mass transport in porous alumina is thus simultaneously induced and imaged with nanoscale precision, thereby relating nanoscale interactions to mesoscopic deformations. The interplay between chemical bonds, disorders, and ionization-induced transformations is analyzed. It is found that irradiation-induced diffusion is responsible for mass transport and that the ionization affects mobility of diffusive entities. The extraordinary room temperature superplasticity of the normally brittle alumina is discovered. These findings enable the effective manipulation of chemical bonds and structural order by nanoscale ion-matter interactions to produce mesoscopic structures with nanometer precision, such as ultra-high density arrays of sub-10-nm pores with or without the accompanying controlled plastic deformations.
Highlights
Exposed to ionizing radiation, nanomaterials often undergo unusual transformations compared to their bulk form
Helium ion microscope (HIM – ORION NanoFab) is used to simultaneously induce, visualize, and quantify the dynamics of nanoscale transformation in nanoporous alumina arrays subjected to low-energy ion beams
We discover the extraordinary superplasticity of the normally brittle porous alumina at room temperature and under specific ion irradiation and bond/disorder conditions
Summary
Morteza Aramesh 1,2,3, Yashar Mayamei[4], Annalena Wolff5 & Kostya (Ken) Ostrikov[1,2]. The extraordinary room temperature superplasticity of the normally brittle alumina is discovered These findings enable the effective manipulation of chemical bonds and structural order by nanoscale ion-matter interactions to produce mesoscopic structures with nanometer precision, such as ultra-high density arrays of sub-10nm pores with or without the accompanying controlled plastic deformations. Helium ion microscope (HIM – ORION NanoFab) is used to simultaneously induce, visualize, and quantify the dynamics of nanoscale transformation in nanoporous alumina arrays subjected to low-energy ion beams. The dielectric nature of the AAO films makes it possible to induce the effects of ionization and electric charge accumulation on the nanoscale dimensions of the pore arrays In this way, this study connects the observed mesoscale material deformations with atomic-level reconstructions through nanoscale pore re-shaping under various irradiation and ionization conditions. We discover the extraordinary superplasticity of the normally brittle porous alumina at room temperature and under specific ion irradiation and bond/disorder conditions
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