Nanomechanics

Nanomechanics is a branch of nanoscience studying fundamental mechanical (elastic, thermal and kinetic) properties of physical systems at the nanometer scale. Nanomechanics has emerged on the crossroads of biophysics, classical mechanics, solid-state physics, statistical mechanics, materials science, and quantum chemistry. As an area of nanoscience, nanomechanics provides a scientific foundation of nanotechnology. Nanomechanics is that branch of nanoscience which deals with the study and application of fundamental mechanical properties of physical systems at the nanoscale, such as elastic, thermal and kinetic material properties. Often, nanomechanics is viewed as a branch of nanotechnology, i.e., an applied area with a focus on the mechanical properties of engineered nanostructures and nanosystems (systems with nanoscale components of importance). Examples of the latter include nanomachines, nanoparticles, nanopowders, nanowires, nanorods, nanoribbons, nanotubes, including carbon nanotubes (CNT) and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs); nanoshells, nanomembranes, nanocoatings, nanocomposite/nanostructured materials, (fluids with dispersed nanoparticles); nanomotors, etc. Some of the well-established fields of nanomechanics are: nanomaterials, nanotribology (friction, wear and contact mechanics at the nanoscale), nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), and nanofluidics. As a fundamental science, nanomechanics is based on some empirical principles (basic observations), namely general mechanics principles and specific principles arising from the smallness of physical sizes of the object of study. General mechanics principles include: Energy and momentum conservation principles Variational Hamilton's principle Symmetry principles Due to smallness of the studied object, nanomechanics also accounts for: Discreteness of the object, whose size is comparable with the interatomic distances Plurality, but finiteness, of degrees of freedom in the object Importance of thermal fluctuations Importance of entropic effects (see configuration entropy) Importance of quantum effects (see quantum machine) These principles serve to provide a basic insight into novel mechanical properties of nanometer objects.