Ultrahigh Strength and Shear-Assisted Decohesion of Sliding Silver Nanocontacts Studied in situ

Abstract The behavior of materials in sliding contact is challenging to determine since the interface is normally hidden from view. Using a custom microfabricated device, we conducted in situ, ultrahigh vacuum transmission electron microscope measurements of crystalline silver nanocontacts under combined tension and shear, permitting simultaneous observation of contact forces and contact width. While classically, silver exhibits substantial sliding-induced plastic junction growth, the nanocontacts exhibit only limited plastic deformation despite high applied stresses. This difference arises from the nanocontacts’ high strength, as we find the von Mises stresses at yield points approach the ideal strength of silver. We attributed this to the nanocontacts’ nearly defect-free nature and small size. The contacts also separate unstably, with pull-off forces well below classical predictions for rupture under pure tension. This provides in situ confirmation that shearing reduces nanoscale pull-off forces, consistent with recent theoretical predictions but never before directly observed.