Nanotube Electromechanics beyond Carbon: The Case of WS₂

Abstract

The incorporation of nanostructures into nanoelectronic and nanoelectromechanical systems is a long sought-after goal. In the present article, we report the first torsional electromechanical measurements of pure inorganic nanotubes. The WS2 nanotubes exhibited a complex and reproducible electrical response to mechanical deformation. We combined these measurements with density-functional-tight-binding calculations to understand the interplay between mechanical deformation, specifically torsion and tension, and electrical properties of WS2 nanotubes. This yielded the understanding that the electrical response to mechanical deformation may span several orders of magnitude on one hand and detect several modes of mechanical deformation simultaneously on the other. These results demonstrate that inorganic nanotubes could thus be attractive building blocks for nanoelectromechanical systems such as highly sensitive nanometric motion sensors.

Dielectric and Electrical Properties of WS2 Nanotubes/Epoxy Composites and Their Use for Stress Monitoring of Structures

“…By analyzing the stress-strain/conductivities relationship of samples 8-11, it was found that the DC current increased (electrical resistance decrease) upon increasing the stress in the samples (Figure 9(b)). It was shown before that by applying tensile force on individual WS 2 nanotube using nanoelectromechanical devices a current increase is expected [26]. These results are also in agreement with theoretical study where structural modifications of the WS 2 nanotube and lowering of its bandgap are predicted due to the W-S nanotube bond elongation (and angular distortion) through the tensile stress [24].…”

“…The semiconducting properties of individual WS 2 nanotubes were also investigated [24][25][26]. Inorganic nanotubes of WS 2 (INT-WS 2 ) showed a high conductivity (in vacuum conditions) [25].…”

“…Inorganic nanotubes of WS 2 (INT-WS 2 ) showed a high conductivity (in vacuum conditions) [25]. Moreover, it has been established that applying an external force on single INT-WS 2 (torsion or tension) results in increased conductivity, due to a piezoelectric effect 2 Journal of Nanomaterials [26]. Recently, low-temperature quasi-1D superconductivity was demonstrated for a WS 2 nanotube gated with an ionic liquid [27].…”

Gold Decoration and Photoresistive Response to Nitrogen Dioxide of WS2 Nanotubes

“…[24,25] In contrast to the highly intensive research on CNT-based gas sensors; [26] to our best knowledge,MoS 2 and WS 2 nanotubes were not testedf or such ap urpose. At heoretical study of NO, NO 2 ,C O, SO 2 ,a nd NH 3 adsorption on singlewalled NT-MoS 2 was reported recently, [27] however sensing applications of molybdenuma nd tungsten disulfide nanotubes are still limitedt os tress monitoring of structuralc omponents, [28] and nanometric motion sensors [29] employing NT-WS 2 .…”

Synthesis and Characterization of Pb@GaS Core–Shell Fullerene-Like Nanoparticles and Nanotubes

“…Inorganic layered materials can form fullerene-like nanoparticles (IF) and nanotubes (INT) that exhibit remarkable mechanical, 1,2 optical, 3 and electronic 4,5 properties. Gallium sul¯de (GaS) (P63/ mmc space group) is one such layered compound.…”