Bending tests with atomic force microscopes (AFM) is a common method for elasticity measurements on 1D nanomaterials. Interpretation of the force and deflection data is necessary to determine the Young's modulus of the tested material and has been done assuming either of two classic boundary conditions that represent two extreme possibilities for the rigidity of the sample-anchor interface. The elasticity results from the two boundary conditions differ by a factor of four. Furthermore, both boundary conditions ignore the effects of deflections in the anchors themselves. The Winkler model for beams on elastic foundations is developed here for three-point bending tests to provide a more realistic representation. Equations for computing sample elasticity are derived from two sets of boundary conditions for the Winkler model. Application of this model to interpret the measurement of mechanical stiffness of a silica nanowire at multiple points in a three-point bending is discussed. With the correct choice of boundary conditions, the Winkler model gives a better fit for the observed stiffness profile than the classical beam models while providing a result that differs from both by a factor of two and is comparable to the bulk elasticity.

Fundamental investigations into mechanical behaviour and properties, e.g. elasticity, plasticity, hardness, toughness, strength and failure, exhibited at the nanoscale have increased rapidly in number and in breadth over the past two decades as experimental techniques and theoretical treatments have advanced. This review covers selected contemporary nanomechanics research and gives an overview of some fundamental questions, measurement challenges and opportunities concerning nanostructured materials, their mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms -particularly, relationships with size-scale phenomena. Significant theoretical developments are mentioned in relevant sections and advances in computational modelling are considered briefly, including perspectives on the current state and gaps between complete and rigorous simulations for mechanical behaviour in nanomaterials and experimental data to qualify certain predictive calculations. We categorise the study of mechanics by nanomaterial types from primary objects (i.e. single nanoscale elements like nanofibres and nanopillars), simple composites and other extended nanostructures like films and multilayers to complex natural and synthetic systems ranging from biological cells and mineralised biocomposites to nanoelectromechanical systems and DNA nanorobots. The future outlook and concluding remarks summarise general areas of open knowledge in the field and include a call for increased collaboration between experiments and modelling for the fruition of twenty-first century advancements and exploration.

The synthesis of KCl nanowires has been achieved by atomic layer deposition inside high aspect ratio channels of microchannel glass. The average diameter of the KCl nanowires is 250 nm, with a minimum observed diameter of 50 nm, and lengths up to 5μm. The Cl precursor was TaCl5, while the source of K was determined to be impurities in the microchannel glass substrate. The process for KC1 nanowire formation is a three-step chemical process that simultaneously etches K from the substrate concomitant with the formation of chlorine gas. It is postulated that the curvature of the channels may influence the diameters of the KCl nanowires.

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