One of the significant challenges in nanoscience is the measurement of mechanical properties of individual constituents that comprise the nanosystem. The problem arises due to difficulties in gripping and handling fibers that have nano-size diameters.
Carbon nanotube is a typical example.
It is anticipated that the bending modulus of a carbon nanotube may depend on its diameter, it is thus essential to develop a technique that can be applied to measure the mechanical strength of an individual nanotube with well characterized structure. A TEM specimen holder was been specially built for applying a voltage across the nanotube and its count electrode. The carbon nanotube can be charged by an externally applied voltage and the corresponding electric field induced deflection of the nanotube can be measured. Alternatively, if an oscillating voltage is applied on the nanotube with ability to tune the frequency of the applied voltage, resonance can be induced. This is attributed to the rickling of the nanotube.