In situ visualization of the superior nanomechanical flexibility of individual hydroxyapatite nanobelts†
Abstract
Highly flexible multi-layered hydroxyapatite (HA) nanobelts were successfully grown and compared to nanorods. The nanomechanical behaviour of individual HA nanostructures was visualized using in situ TEM. Compression-induced deformation in HA nanobelts can spontaneously recover at a maximal strain of 99.2%, much larger than the 2.63% failure strain observed for traditional HA nanorods.