Fig. 4

In situ tensile tests of ceramic nanowires using ceramic nanowelding. a The schematic of a self-assembled in situ TEM-AFM device for the tensile test. The target sample was first welded to the W tip, and then welded to the tip of the AFM cantilever. We stretched the W tip, and the welded sample moved along the same direction, meanwhile the AFM cantilever was bent. Through measuring the deflection of the AFM cantilever, we can calculate the tensile strength of the sample. b A real image of the experiment setup. c The tensile test for the pristine MgO nanowires, and the maximum moving distance of the W tip is 1 μm. The weld junction is composed of nanocrystalline MgO. d The tensile test for a ceramic CuO nanowire, and the maximum moving distance of the W tip is 228 nm. Scale bars: (b) 10 μm; (c) 1 μm; (d) 200 nm